Retro Lightning

(Show #952; aired on 01-28-2012)

1982 was definitely the “center lane” for Techno-Pop!  New Brit and L.A. bands were experimenting with dance club mixes full of rhythmic beats, synthesized keyboards and added special effects.  The rest of the U.S. was playing it safe with a clean, more polished sound. Many top market Rock stations were starting to tighten-up their playlists with highly-researched songs in a format called Album Oriented Rock (AOR).  But don’t worry… we’ll be going a lot deeper than that on today’s program.  Have fun listening! — Fred

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(Show #951; aired on 01-21-2012)

1972 was one of the best years for Progressive Rock!  1972 was also a big year of musical discovery for me!  You know, I felt very fortunate to be introduced to so much good music during this time.  To that point…we could very easily go eight hours today instead of just four!  But since we only have four hours to give you, here’s a pretty good representation of the great stuff that came out during 1972.  Enjoy the show!! — Fred

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1986 had tons going on for music and most of it was great. I could easily have gone another few hours. From the classic rock sounds of Stevie Ray Vaughn and the Stones, to digging the new breed – Beastie Boys. Aerosmith threw it all into one package with their collaboration with Run DMC. Meanwhile, artists like Richard Thompson, Paul Simon and Crowded House were bringing contemporary music to new levels of depth.

Timbuk 3 – The Future’s So Bright
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Superstition (live)
Falco – Vienna Calling

Simply Red – Holding Back the Years
Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
The Bolshoi – Someone’s Daughter
Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Cities In Dust

Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
Art of Noise – Peter Gunn theme

Rolling Stones – Harlem Shuffle
UB40 – Rat in the Kitchen
Smithereens w/Suzanne Vega – In a Lonely Place

Bananarama – Venus
Genesis – Invisible Touch
Chameleons UK – Swamp Thing
David & David – Boomtown
Pretenders – Hymm to Her
Jackson Browne – til I Go Down

Blow Monkees – Digging Your Scene
Crowded House – World Where You Live
Jesus & Mary Chain – The Hardest Walk

Level 42 – Something About You
Aerosmith / Run DMC – Walk This Way
Richard Thompson – Valerie

John Hiatt – Snake Charmer
Jason & the Scorchers – Golden Ball & Chain
Steve Winwood – Higher Love
Rainmakers – Downstream
Lone Justice – Shelter
XTC – Earn Enough For Us

Prince – Kiss
Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
DuranDuran – Notorious

The Alarm – Strength
Peter Gabriel – Big Time
Waterboys – Old England

R.E.M. – Cuyahoga (then)
R.E.M. – We All Go Back to Where We Belong (now)

Love & Rockets – All In My Mind
Elvis Costello – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
John Mellencamp – Lonely Old Night
Talking Heads – People Like Us
Joe Jackson w/Suzanne Vega – Left of Center

Paul McCartney – Stranglehold.

(Show #949; aired on 01-07-2012)

1976….our nation’s Bicentennial year!  During that time, you could find a lot of brand new music ripe for the taking.  And it spread across all genres:  Progressive Rock, Top 40, R&B, plenty of great Jazz/Fusion crossovers, and a touch of Country, too!  Today, we’ll revive some of the best selling music from that year along with some deeeeeper album tracks taken from my 1976 college radio experience.  Maybe you’ll remember some of these….. — Fred

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(Show #948; aired on 12-31-2011)

In 1981, I was actually the Program Director of a COUNTRY station in Nashville (WKDA).  Rock music was going through an identity crisis at the time, and as a result, some of the “Urban Cowboy Country Crossover” influence was finding its way onto the Pop charts and even penetrated Rock radio’s airwaves.  Hello, MTV!  Happy New Year everyone!  As we close another year, we find Retro music aging a little bit more.  Don’t ever forget the memories and the music you grew up with! — Fred

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(Show #947; aired on 12-24-2011)

Happy Christmas!!  And welcome to the Retro Lightning Christmas Special!  Today, we’re remembering some holiday classics from yesteryear’s Progressive Rock artists.  Some of these songs you continue to hear year after year.  But hopefully today, we’ll pull out some rare musical memories to really get you into the holiday spirit!  I hope you enjoy the show. — Fred  

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