July 12, 2009

As originally posted, The Great Banana Hoax was supposed to take a hiatus and return July 26. Recently, Jordan and I learned that roving sports troubador Darnell Jenkins (pictured above, training for the 2010 World Mini-Tramp Championship in Naples, Fla.) will be stopping by the station, live and in person!

Tune in at 2 p.m. on Sunday July 12 to catch the action, live! Who knows what crazy adventures Darnell has been on lately.

In other news, I will be sitting down for a chat with Steve Krakow aka Plastic Crimewave, Chicago-based psychedelic minstrel, musician, historian and overall saviour. His band, Plastic Crimewave Sound, absolutely slays. They've played shows and recorded with a few bands featured on The Great Banana Hoax, including Simply Saucer, Michael Yonkers and Acid Mothers Temple. I will let alllllll of you know when the interview can be heard.

Until Sunday...

Endzone thriller!

Hey there y'all. Thank you once again for tuning into another episode of The Great Banana Hoax on CJSR FM 88.5 in Edmonton.

It's been quite a while since the last show, as I recently returned from a road trip to Tennessee for the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Highlights of the fest include Al Green, Jenny Lewis, Snoop Dogg and Bruce Springsteen doing his version of "Santa Clause is Coming to Town".

After watching the recent NHL Draft, I've found myself completey enamoured with the website of Oilers' first pick Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson.I mean, there are ALREADY pictures of him in an Oilers jersey pointing his stick at the camera looking like he just pooed. All in all, not a bad draft day for the Oil, although it would have been nice to either get Nashville's fourth pick or sign Dany Heatley. The saga continues.

Speaking of continuing sagas, the 2009 CFL season kicked off on Canada Day. Local sports team, the Edmonton Eskimos, won their first game of the season. It was an exciting start to the new season, more specifically the endzone celebration by Argo's slotback Arland Bruce. As Jordan put it: a real 'endzone thriller!'

Here are the songs we played during the last show, in no particular order (artist, song, album):

1. *Endangered Ape - Demos 2008
2. *The Wicked Awesomes - "Time Shit & Crystal Snot" - Myspace
3. Jefferson Airplane - "Embryonic Journey" - Surrealistic Pillow
4. *Bruce Cockburn - "Sunwheel Dance" - Sunwheel Dance
5. Yes - "Clap" - The Yes Album
6. Black Sabbath - "Orchid" - Master of Reality
7. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - "Bitches Crystal" - Tarkus
8. Litter - "Action Woman" - Trash Box - Wild Psychotic Garage Punk
9. Rogues - "Train Kept a Rollin'" - Trash Box - Wild Psychotic Garage Punk
10. Stoics - "Hate" - Trash Box - Wild Psychotic Garage Punk
11. Ornette Coleman - "Face of the Bass" - Change of the Century
12. Alice Coltrane - "There's Something About John Coltrane" - Journey Into Satchidananda
13. King Crimson - "I Talk to the Wind" - In The Court of the Crimson King
14. *Simply Saucer - "Illegal Bodies" - Cyborg's Revisited
15. *Deadcity Serpents - "PFM" - Zombie Threat
16. *Bohemians - "I Need You Baby" - Wyld Canada Vol. 3: Endless Dreams
17. *Inferno 5 Plus 1 - "I Can Take It" - Wyld Canada Vol. 3: Endless Dreams
18. *The Guess Who - "Clock on the Wall" - It's Time

*denotes Canadian artist

Our next episode will air July 26.

Tag team, back again

Thanks again for tuning into the latest episode of The Great Banana Hoax. I am eargerly preparing for my trip through the southern United States, so I'll keep things brief.

I'd be remiss not to mention the hiring of TWO new coaches for the Goil. Pat Quinn and Tom Renney reunite to try and bring some semblance of success back to Rexall.

Peter Zezel passed away a couple weeks ago. Some sort of blood disease. He was a marginal plugger at best, and was utilized mostly as a defensive-minded checker during his time in Toronto under the reign of Pat Burns. I will always remember his hockey cards, and his hair.

Well, the Pens have tied the Stanley Cup Finals at two games apiece. Darnell Jenkins is predicting a Wings victory in six games. Methinks that Sid Croz and Malks are clickin' at just the right time. Shades of Jagr and Lemieux? More like Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty.

Here's a list of the songs we played on the last show (artist, song, album). Once again, no particular order.

1. *Endangered Ape - "White of My Eyes" - Ape Shall Not Kill EP
2. Crystal Antlers - "Painless Sleep" - Tentacles
3. The Doors - Hyacinth House - L.A. Woman
4. *Pink Mountaintops - The Gayest of Sunbeams - Outside Love
5. *Feral Children - "Dance Machine" - Currents EP
6. Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso UFO - "Eleking the Clay" - Lord of the Underground: Vishnu and the Magic Elixer
7. *Tom Northcott Trio - "Just Don't" - Wyld Canada Vol. 2: Shake Yourself Down
8. *Tricky Woo - "Sad-Eyed Woman" - Sometimes I Cry
9. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett) - "Candy and a Currant Bun" - Shine On
10. Donovan - "Sunny South Kensington" - Psychedelia at Abbey Road
11. Pretty Things - "Children" - Emotions
12. West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - "Smell of Incense" - Breaking Through
13. Television - "Marquee Moon" - Marquee Moon
14. Leafhound - "Stray" - Growers of Mushroom
15. Sleepy Sun - Side A - White Dove 7''
16. Sir Lord Baltimore - "Hell Hound" - Kingdom Come

*denotes Canadian artist

Our next broadcast won't be for a few weeks - June 28. GO PENS!

Gentlemen Chill Out at Bar

Hey folks, thanks again for tuning into another edition of The Great Banana Hoax. What began as a brief mention and subsequent spinning of the Cambodian Psych-Out record I borrowed from my friend Ava, quickly turned into an entire set of Cambodian and Asian psychedelia. Ahhh, the unpredictability of radio.

Jordan and I both went to the Dustin Bentall gig at Queen Alex hall this past Friday. So did Tom Gilbert, Kyle 'hot rod' Brodziak and everyone's favourite post-game interview, Jason Strudwick. Ha! Small town Edmonton strikes again!

After a Sid Cros/Alex O. goal-scoring clinic yesterday, the Caps have taken a 2-0 series lead. My Pens are floundering. The temperature-controlled conditions of their igloo will be a welcoming sight.

And if you're at all interested in tragic hockey/life stories, please read up on Brian "Spinner" Spencer. Atom Egoyan even made a TV movie about it! ATOM EGOYAN!

A number of outta-sight psychedelic compilations are available on the Northern Star Records website.

Here are most of the songs we played, in no particular order (artist, song, album):

1. *Black Mountain - "Don't Run Our Hearts Around" - Black Mountain
2. Sin Sisamouth/Srei Sothear - "Month After Month Always Busy, Can't Go Out" - Cambodian Psych-Out
3. Sin Sisamouth/Srei Sothear - "Gentlemen Chill Out at Bar" - Cambodian Psych-Out
4. *Simple Simon & The Piemen - "People of Tyme" - Nightmares From the Underworld (Disc 1)
5. Brian Jonestown Massacre - "Oh Lord" - A Tepid Peppermint Wonderland: A Retrospective
6. Awesome Color - "Step Up" - Electric Aborigines
7. Michael Yonkers - "Sand Castle" - Grimwood
8. **The Mitts - "Love Inside the Glove" - Possible EP Cover
9. **Wicked Awesomes - "Death Sunglasses" - Myspace
10. **White Summer - "Train" - Myspace
11. **Gold Rush - "Electric Lettuce" - Myspace
12. The Lovetones - "Journeyman" - Myspace
13. Bavarian Druglords - "Alpine Assassin" - TBD
14. Wooden Shjips - "Motorbike" - Dos

*denotes Canadian artist
**denotes local artist

We're going to take a break over the May Long weekend. The next broadcast will be on May 31. After that, another hiatus while I trapse around the southern United States en route to Bonnaroo!

"I'm calling that now."

CJSR was able to obtain security footage of a remote, northern outpost where roving sports reporter Darnell Jenkins was camped out. After using a baby seal to fend off a bloodthirsty polar bear, Darnell was able to send in 2009 NHL playoff pics via morse code. Now THAT is dedication.

Anyhoo, thank you to everyone who tuned in to yet another episode of The Great Banana Hoax aka Lighting the Lamp, on the MIGHTY CJSR. The NHL playoffs are in full swing, much like the stick of Milan Lucic on the face of Habs' forward Maxime Lapierre. Myself and Jordan made our initial playoff prediction, with the Jim Paek-less Penguins expected to rep the East in the Cup final. For the West, it's probably going to be Vancouver or Detroit. Despite finishing first in the conference, San Jose once again looks to be wearing their "mail it in" playoff fedoras. Anaheim will beat San Jose, and in the words of Darnell Jenkins: "I'm calling that now."

Once again, here is a list of songs we played. In no particular order (song, artist, album):

1. *Pink Mountaintops - "Cold Criminals" - Axis of Evol
2. Wavves - "Beach Demon" - Wavvves
3. Crystal Antlers - "Andrew" - Tentacles
4. Holy Children - "A Dance at Killing Hill" - (Myspace)
5. Weird Owl - "Do What Th'Owl Wilt" - (Myspace)
6. Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound - "Mars" - (Myspace)
7. Black Angels - "Black Grease" - The Black Angels (EP)
8. Awesome Color - "It's Your Time" - Awesome Color
9. Dark Meat - "Dead Man" - Universal Indians
10. The Flower Travelling Band - "Satori V" - Satori
11. Sleepy Sun - side A - White Dove 7''
12. Otis Waygood - "You Can Do Pt. 1" - Madmen's Cry
13. Jeff Beck - "Shapes of Things" - Truth
14. *Deadcity Serpents - "PFM" - Zombie Threat

*denotes Canadian artist

Can't we all just get along?

Thanks to everyone who tuned into the latest episode of The Great Banana Hoax aka Lighting the Lamp.

Pictured above is an excerpt from the animated short The Hockey Sweater, an original short story by Roch Carrier. I know there have been times over the last couple seasons where I wouldn't have minded seeing Craig MacTavish be eaten by moths. But just like the young Canadiens fan in the story forced to wear his Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, Oilers fans are playing with the hand dealt to us - years of nepotism and Oil-glazed patronage. When a coach and team president are such close pals that they build pillow forts and zip their sleeping bags together during camping trips, is it any surprise that Mac T hasn't been fired, despite years of mediocrity? The answer is no. All I know is that watching this drama unfold over the summer months will be as exciting (if not MORE exciting) than an episode of Wild Roses.

Yesterday we took a call from roving sports reporter Darnell Jenkins. Despite being in the midst of a hostage situation in an undisclosed location, Darnell managed to make his bi-weekly call into the show. What dedication! He called to inform us that former NHLer, and current felon, Mike Danton, is pondering a return to the Show, despite just being released from prison.

Other topics discussed on this weeks' show included a review of the NFB documentary Junior, and news of the signing of Christian Hanson, son of Dave Hanson (re: Slapshot, the Hanson Brothers).

Once again, here is a list of songs we played, in no particular order (Artist, song, album):

1. Steeplejack - "The Sky is Full of Shadows" - Serena Maboose
2. The Paupers - "Magic People" - Magic People
3. The Five Man Electrical Band - "Five Man Electrical Band" - Half Past Midnight
4. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - "Cowgirl in the Sand" - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
5. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - "Powderfinger" - Rust Never Sleeps
6. Holy Mackeral - "Wildflowers" - Hallucinations
7. Serge Gainsbourg - "Qui est 'In', Qui est 'Out'"
8. Bridgette Bardot - "Harley Davidson"
9. The Black Lips - "I Saw A Ghost (Lean)" - Good Bad Not Evil
10. Sleepy Sun - "Sleepy Son"

Next broadcast will be Sunday, April 19. The Oilers' season concludes on Saturday April 11.

That cocky Rocky, his belt is so tight!

After a lengthy hiatus, The Great Banana Hoax has returned! Our skates are sharpened, our hair greased back and our visors tinted. It's been a busy few weeks in the world of sports, so let's get down to biz.

We took a call from globetrotting sports troubadour Darnell Jenkins, from a remote location in Fiji. Trapesing around the globe, Darnell took in a number of international sports competitions along during his travels. Volleyball in Russia? Check. 9-ball in Belize? You got it. What's next for Darnell? You'll have to tune in next time to find out.

The Oilers dropped a must-win game to their divisional rivals, the Wild of Minnesota. There's just over a handful of games left on the Oilers' sked - let's hope they don't blow it.

Other topics discussed last show included the rare rehearsed-after-goal celebration after Ovech scored his 50th goal with a stick that was "hot hot hot!"; a retrospective on the career of recently retired plugger Gary Roberts (Eagles fan); recently unemployed NHL coaches, including the man pictured above, Barry Melrose; Golden Bears update, and reasons why you should read Oilers blog Lowetide

Of course, this sports pie wouldn't be complete without essential ingredients of psych, punk and garage tunes. Here's a list, in no particular order (artist, song, album):

1. *The Guess Who - "One Day" - It's Time
2. Sir Lord Baltimore - "Hellhound" - Kingdom Come
3. The Mohawks - "Beat Me Till I'm Blue" and "Senor Thump" - The Mohawks
4. Leafhound - "Stray" - Growers of Mushrooms
5. The Tages - Seeing With Love - Sir Psych Vol. 19
6. *Mother Tuckers' Yellow Duck - "One Ring Jane" - 25 Little White Lies: Canada Psych 1966-1972
7. Dead Meadow - "Dusty Nothing" - Howl From the Hills
8. Blue Cheer - "Come and Get It" - Outsideinside
9. Buffalo Killers - "Path Before Me" - Buffalo Killers
10. Julie Driscoll - "Leaving it All Behind" - 1969
11. Thin Lizzy - "Rocky" - Johnny the Fox
12. Hawkwind - "Seeing it As You Really Are" - Hawkwind
13. Birds n' Brass - "Sort of Soul" - 50s P-Funk
14. The Open Mind - "Magic Potion" - Heavy Nuggets
15. The Dogs - "Slash Your Face" - The Dogs
16. Comets on Fire - "Jaybird" - Avatar

*denotes Canadian artist

I had mentioned earlier I would have the opportunity to take in an Edmonton Rush lacrosse game. I ended up using the money I would have spent at the game on a ticket to see Witch at New City - and I'm glad I did. The show was off the heazy, and the Rush ended up getting destroyed by their rivals from Calgary. C'est la vie.

The next broadcast of The Great Banana Hoax will be Sunday, April 5. Get 'er done!