Artificial Radio Hour with Rev. Dr. Dr. Phill: Artificial Radio Hour with Rev. Dr. Dr. Phill Part 51

Not pictured: Pia Zadora

Hey folks!

I got this week’s show uploaded to the Internet Archive, so maybe it was a problem with last week’s show, I don’t know. I’ve also put this week’s show on MixCloud, let me know if that is something you all are into.

For various reasons, I’ve written this email/blog post multiple times, so if it sounds terse and weird that might be why. It’s mostly gonna be a list of facts.

“Seymour Swine” is North Carolina disc jockey Denny Brownlee (vocals) and Bill Lynn (guitar), although I’m pretty sure it just said “Porky Pig” when I first ran into it.

The 12 Days Of Mixmas had a Crypt Keeper clip (in the original DJ Riko version) that I swapped out for the cast of Twin Peaks.

The Barenaked Ladies have a whole Christmas album, but I only know this one song. It sounds like something developed on a tour bus.

The celebrity Xmas greetings are all from Bob Claster, former host of Funny Stuff on KCRW, which was my first exposure to many wonderful comedians. Check out his website, Bob Claster's Funny Stuff, for lots of great comedy shows.

My friend Bob is in Inch Erectionists, but I don’t remember who else is. Spell check does not like that spelling.

It’s hard to listen to bad kid singers, so I cut them quite short. There are a lot of that type of tune, though. I think they were trying to follow in the footsteps of “Nuttin’ For Christmas” and “Two Front Teeth” but they miss by a wide mark. “I Want The South To Win The War”? Really, Spike? I do like the Eyeball Skeleton song though.

I’m not sure of the date on the John Baker BBC Radiophonic Workshop jingle, but I know it was between 1960 and 1968 so I just split the difference.

I think the Fear song was performed on New Wave Theatre, but it seems a little much for UHF or even basic cable. I dunno.

“Christmas In The Stars” is from the Star Wars Christmas album of the same name. It’s pretty weird. It was by Meco Monardo, the same guy who had a disco hit with the Star Wars theme in 1977. Fun fact, Jon Bon Jovi appears on this record; his brother owned the studio where it was recorded and Jon worked there. (Not sure how “fun” that was.)

Tom Lehrer is a national treasure, and it’s a shame he didn’t record more music. I guess teaching at UC Santa Cruz is a good career too.

That's Jerry Wheeler, in the center.

Poxy Boggards are a band featuring the trombone player of Giant Ant Farm, one of my favorite bands. They perform at Renaissance Faires. Here they cover a Residents song.

Mojo Nixon gave away mp3s of his entire musical catalog on Amazon for free, so naturally I had to have it all. Usually there are vocals.

I don’t know anything about Game Theory except that they were active in the 80s. I couldn’t find this song listed in any discography, so I don’t know if it’s really theirs.

“Xmas On Mars” is from the Thrilling Adventure Hour serial “Sparks Nevada, Marshal On Mars”. One of the performers on this track is Chris Hardwick.

Pia Zadora was in Santa Claus Conquers The Martians as a child; that movie featured a song called “Hooray For Santy Claus”. This version is a cover.

“Santa Doesn't Cop Out on Dope” is also a cover, of a Martin Mull song from 1971.

You can find out about “Jingle Rock Bell” in this metafilter thread. It’s only a couple of sentences, but they are illuminating.

Trademark G(underson) of the ECC with his Thimbletronic gloves.

The Evolution Control Committee are a great bunch of cut-up artists. I first heard of them when they dropped their single, “Rocked By Rape”, on napster with misleading artists names.

I wonder if Squeaky Fromme really does love Christmas.

Jonathan Coulton and John Roderick are great. I’m gonna put some more Coulton Xmas music in next week’s show.

Porn Orchard was a band from Athens, GA. I don't think their vocalists always sounded like Peter Murphy & Tom Waits, but maybe. This one is often misidentified on file-sharing sites.

Brian Whitman’s Singular Christmas album was created by putting hundreds of Christmas songs into a computer, so that the computer could… learn how to make its own I guess? There is a much better explanation of it at his website.

Rod Rogers worked for MSR Records, a “song-poem” label. Song-poem records can get really weird…

Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her was a Japanese band. This track was misidentified as Melt Banana but I knew that wasn’t right because there wasn’t enough screaming.

I don’t know who Silev is.

The nullsleep track is from a collection of Christmas songs made on video game consoles.

That’s it, you guys! More Xmas next week! (Is that a promise or a threat?)

Enjoy!

-Rev. Dr. Dr. Phill

B-B-Blue Christmas - Seymour Swine and the Squealers (1985)

The 12 Days of Mixmas (Roger Whittaker, Sesame Street, the McKenzie Brothers, The Waffle House, the cast of Twin Peaks and Twisted Sister) - DJ Riko (2006) (with a little help from Rev. Dr. Dr. Phill, 2017)

Deck the Stills - Barenaked Ladies (2004)

Santa Fake - Inch Erectionists (2005)

I Want The South To Win The War For Christmas - Spike Jones And The Band That Plays For Fun (1959)

Poor Ole Santa Claus - Jeri Kelly (1960)

Christmas on the Moon - Troy Hess (1970)

Season's Greetings From Jackie Mason

Merry Christmas Elvis - Michele Cody (1978)

Happy Birthday Jesus - Little Cindy (1959)

Santa's On The Run - Eyeball Skeleton (2004)

Christmas Commercial - BBC Radiophonic Workshop (John Baker) (1964)