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Listen in

Esther Bubley Listening to Music in a Record Store, New York City c.1957

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stylish!

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A genius, and a queen. VROOOOOOOOOM!

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Here in the Spacebar for a final time. On a Sunday. Having a Trail Pass on the couch in the new backroom that Will told me about back in July.

I’m sad that it has come to this. The fog of war, and the haze of recriminations and finger pointing, the broken relationships, and the inevitable mudslinging that happens if you dare to stick your head up, to do something, anything! more than sit at home and complain.

One of the things about trying is that you will make mistakes, miscalculate, and fail as often as you succeed. That’s part of the deal. Ironic that it happened in an arcade.

I will always be loyal to my friends. I was happy here, even though I didn’t fit in, I was welcomed, and I tried my best to contribute. I keep thinking I could have done more, helped more, played better music, served the cause in a way that would have prevented this end. No matter. I played a very small part in this enterprise, and I will always be grateful to Will for trusting me with a Saturday night,and letting me contribute to the dream, and for daring to have the dream in the first place. Even though my video game era was years in the past, I appreciated the energy, and the decor, and the constant parade of interesting wildlife coming through the door, and past the booth. Much love to DJ IGA for trusting me to take care of his idea and for making me spin records again. I truly love it.

What is next for me? I don’t know yet. There are not many places that my thing fits, and you got to get in where you fit in. So, it remains to be seen. I’m just going to get over it now, and see what turns up.

Careerist: I am not a careerist.

Mossback.

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Not mine.

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King was a hell of a company. Very aggressive in Hillbilly and R&B. Years before Sun Records. Post war was a very interesting time, really wild, no rules, plenty of boundaries to transgress. All to sell records that the big labels wouldn't touch. Lots of garbage, lots of gems, sometimes both in the same record!

A factory line worker lifts a copy of Leon Rusk's "Air Mail Special on the Fly" from a stamper at the King Record Company pressing plant, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1946

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Spacebar 07/20/24

Third Space Saturday

The Tracks

2100 hrs

Brothers Johnson, Strawberry Letter 23 (12 Inch)

Grace Jones, I Need A Man (12 Inch)

Junie Morrison, Techno-Freqs (12 Inch)

Wire, Ahead (12 Inch)

KC and The Sunshine Band, I’m Your Boogie Man (LP cut)

Judas Priest, Metal Gods (LP cut)

George Clinton, Do Fries Go With That Shake (12 Inch)

One Way, Cutie Pie (12 Inch EP cut)

Beastie Boys, She’s Crafty (LP cut)

Booker T. & The MG’s, Hip Hug-Her (LP cut)

Average White Band, Pick Up The Pieces (LP cut)

Foreigner, Urgent (12 Inch)

ZZ Top, Cheap Sunglasses (LP cut) (2200 hrs)

Emotions, Best Of My Love (LP cut)

Michael Jackson, Rock With You (7 inch)

Sanford and Townsend Band, Smoke From A Distant Fire (LP cut)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip (7 inch)

Gap Band, Outstanding (LP cut)

Robert Palmer, You Are In My System (7 inch)

Roots Manuva, Again & Again (12 Inch)

Sade, Hang On To Your Love (12 Inch)

Dillinger, Cokane In My Brain (7 inch)

Simple Minds, Don’t You Forget About Me (12 Inch)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP cut)

Flying Lizards, Money (That’s What I Want) (LP cut)

Dry Cleaning, Scratchcard Lanyard (7 inch)

Mary Jane Girls, In My House (12 Inch)

Donna Summer, I Feel Love (12 Inch)

Berlin, The Metro (7 inch)

DEVO, Snowball (7 inch)

Tilt, Arcade Funk (12 Inch)

Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue (LP cut)

Toni Basil, Mickey (7 inch)

The Clash, Rock The Casbah (7 inch)

Cheryl Lynn, Got To Be Real (7 inch)

Lakeside, Fantastic Voyage (LP cut)

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra (7 inch)

Run DMC, Walk This Way (12 Inch)

Nazareth, RAZAMANAZ (LP cut)

Amyl & The Sniffers, Some Mutts (7 inch)

Kingsmen, Louie Louie (7 inch)

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love To Town) (7 inch)

Police, Roxanne (7 inch)

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat (7 inch)

Bauhaus, Bela Lugosi’s Dead (12 Inch)

Madvillain, America’s Most Blunted (12 Inch)

Cameo, Word Up (12 Inch)

Skee-Lo, I Wish (12 Inch)

Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls (12 Inch)

Eiffel 65, Move Your Body (12 Inch)

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (12 Inch)

J.J. Fad, Supersonic (12 Inch)

Ohio Players, Love Rollercoaster (12 Inch EP cut)

James Brown,I Got You (I Feel Good) (7 inch)

Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Mistadobalina (LP cut)

Kendrick Lamar, YAH (LP cut)

Leroy Sibbles Nicodemus, Rock Steady Party (12 Inch)

Barbara Lewis, Baby I’m Yours (LP cut)

0113 Finished

The scenery

TASTING NOTES

I spent the day not thinking about the set, preferring to head into Spacebar “cold” to see what developed. But, I had spent a fair amount of time since my last set combing through online lists and the singles section of the local Record Hut to find some fresh material. And, a lot of it found its way onto the decks and into the ears of the listeners at Third Space Saturday. I do love the format of the single. I’m not necessarily attached to the extended mixes; often I will play the LP cut included on the single, or the 7” mix if it is on there. I like the focus of the shorter versions, but sometimes the songs lend themselves to the stretched-out format. Just depends on the song, as always.

It is really hot in Boise – not just summer heat, but triple-digit temperatures every day for weeks on end. I got sweaty just loading the rig. When I got downtown, there was a huge event of some sort happening in Capitol Park, with several streets blocked, and I worried that I would have trouble finding a parking space. But I found a space really close, and rolled my gear into the elevator. Nothing worked. The door wouldn’t even close. I text Will, and am surprised when he appears at the elevator. We lug all my gear down the stairs, past the line going upstairs to the speakeasy. Evidently, the fire department had visited just before I got there, because the fog machine had tripped the fire alarm. Will is working the door, and I recognize absolutely none of the bar staff.

I’m later than I wanted to be, so after I set myself up, I hurriedly weigh my options. I usually start with a song that has kind of a fanfare intro, but tonight it seemed appropriate to ease into things, so I chose “Strawberry Letter 23” by the Brothers Johnson, a new 12” single I acquired last week. My first hour is a combination of 12” extended versions and LP cuts; going from Wire to KC and the Sunshine Band to Judas Priest to George Clinton sounded better in person than it looks on the page. The bar scene is ebbing and flowing as usual, but it’s summer, people are outside, or in the mountains, or hunkered down in the most air-conditioned spot they can find.

I put on a long Grace Jones single, and Will gives me a tour of the changes coming to the bar. The room that used to house the print shop is cleared out. It’s going to house more machines, and be a separate space within the space. The music will still be there, but there will be more options for people, and a better use of the space, which was not generating enough use before. It will be good to give people more places to hang, to be with their people. Our sound volume is lower, which I kind of like. It presents the music better, and makes things more comfortable.

My son shows up with a posse. He comes into the booth and greets me. I express my unease, how I feel like I’m aging out of such things as nightlife, and fun, but he is unconvinced. Says I’m fine. He heads out on the floor with his crew, and I lose track of him for a while. About a half-hour later he comes back up to say goodbye, introduces me to a friend, and they ask about the Grime record I played. Roots Manuva. They dig it. I told them I couldn’t see anyone reacting to the music one way or the other, aside from the kid who came up and scrolled through the new internet jukebox that’s on the wall by the bar. They assured me that people were vibing, even the youngsters. It was good to hear, and I noticed people moving to the beat after that.

After Sam leaves, I don’t see a single person I know come in for the rest of the night. I am ok with this. Not that I don’t love the support from people I know, but I’m also a realist. I know it would require great effort for me to be out downtown on a Saturday night, so I understand what it entails.

I’ve hardly played any 7” records, mostly concentrating on longer 12” mixes from my new acquisitions. It feels really good. I’m putting things together in the right places, there are very few technical gaffes from me, and I generally feel good about how I’ve put records together.

The Donna Summer 12” single “I Feel Love” is a record I’ve been looking for my entire adult life, and now it’s mine. The 8-minute version did not disappoint! The mechanized spine of the song, the repetitive bubbling riff, it was the first record I heard from her, and I instantly became a fan. The simplicity and directness appealed to me, as did the four-on-the-floor kick drum.

I put a different Nazareth track into the mix, RAZAMANAZ. (I don’t know, it just seems to work better in all caps.) I had it cued and ready to go, but I then reversed course, and instead of following it up with RUN-DMC (again with the all caps!) I switched the order, and played “Walk With Me” first. It worked. The Nazareth track is like Motorhead, with a “better” singer. I need to find a better copy of the record, though. It was kind of worn. So is the Bauhaus record I plucked from a dollar section a while ago. Even though it’s got an audible (and visible) scratch on it, it plays through, and the surface noise doesn’t detract – it kind of adds something to the sound of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” It’s kind of a gothic doppelganger to the Donna Summer record – repetitive, atmospheric, less busy and more organic. Music is amazing that way. Very disparate intentions coming through, and changing the way things sound. And you don’t stop/you go on and on/til the break of dawn.

The thing is, though, a lot of the old 7” records from the ’50s and ’60s still sound great, even with the wear. The record players they were made for were not like the Hi-Fi players for classical and pop records of the day, and by pop records, I mean things like Doris Day, Johnny Mathis and other adult music. I’m fascinated by how time takes language and meaning and metamorphosizes it to fit the needs of people, of audiences, of commerce. You don’t/can’t control it, but you can ride it, and see where it goes.

That is the essence of what I am trying to do: follow the through line, and paint pictures, express myself, play things that sound good to me, communicate a feeling and vibe to people. I didn’t put Amyl and the Sniffers next to the Kingsmen and follow it up with Kenny Rogers to be a clever show-off, I did it because I thought it would sound good, that they were all good records, and the juxtaposition would make a listener reconsider what those songs were about.

Or, they could just vibe to the beat.

I’m so happy I get to do this, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to contribute to Spacebar Arcade. I sometimes feel I should be doing more – get on the microphone and get the party started, as it were. It’s just not me. All I can do is show up until they tell me not to. It’s a tough business. It’s not complicated, but it is unpredictable. You can do everything right, and still fail. Luck is underestimated by our culture. Being in the right place, at the right time, doing something you love and believe in and being rewarded? It’s not a given. Trust this: it’s just business. Pivot. Change course. Listen. Be true to yourself.

Next Third Space Saturday for me is on September 21st, 2024. I’m taking August off for Holiday. Just like a European.

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Spacebar Downtown Boise Underground

Third Space Saturday 06/15/2024

2103 START TIME

Track List

Chic, My Feet Keep Dancing (12 INCH)

Sylvester, You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (12 INCH)

Yvonne Elliman, If I Can’t Have You (LP CUT)

Gazebo, Masterpiece (7 INCH)

Ashford & Simpson, Solid (7 INCH)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip (7 INCH)

Isaac Hayes, Theme From Shaft (7 INCH)

Super Girl Debora, Yo Vivire (I Will Survive) (7 INCH)

Ready For The World, Oh Sheila (7 INCH)

Tears For Fears, Change (7 INCH)

Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue (LP CUT)

LL Cool J, Big Ole Butt (12 INCH)

Tom Tom Club, Genius Of Love (12 INCH)

The Smiths, How Soon Is Now? (12 INCH)

The Rolling Stones, Hot Stuff (7 INCH)

Dillinger, Cokane In My Brain (7 INCH)

Hot Chocolate, Every 1’s A Winner (LP CUT)

Otis & Carla, Tramp (7 INCH)

Ohio Players, Fire (7 INCH)

Taste Of Honey, Boogie Oogie Oogie (LP CUT)

Prince, Erotic City (12 INCH)

Emotions, Best Of My Love (LP CUT)

Sinead O’Connor with MC Lyte, I Want Your Hands On Me (12 INCH)

Dolly Parton, Baby I’m Burnin’ (12 INCH)

Pet Shop Boys, Always On My Mind (12 INCH)

ZZ Top, Legs (12 INCH)

Romantics, Talking In Your Sleep (7 INCH)

The Kingsmen, Louie Louie (7 INCH)

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat (7 INCH)

The Police, Message In A Bottle (7 INCH)

Heatwave, The Groove Line (7 INCH)

Alan Jackson, Chattahoochee (7 INCH)

Toni Basil, Mickey (7 INCH)

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want To Have Fun (7 INCH)

Exile, Kiss You All Over (7 INCH)

Bee Gees, Jive Talkin’ (7 INCH)

Simple Minds, (Don’t You) Forget About Me (12 INCH)

Commodores, Brick House (12 INCH)

B Team, Something For Nothing (12 INCH)

The Time, 777-9311 (LP CUT)

Thundercat, Them Changes (10 INCH)

Kendrick Lamar, Yah (LP CUT)

Lakeside, Fantastic Voyage (LP CUT)

Grace Jones, I Need A Man (12 INCH)

Human League, Love Action (12 INCH)

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of Ny Head (12 INCH)

Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart (12 INCH)

Roots Manuva, Again & Again (12 INCH)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP CUT)

Sweet, Love Is Like Oxygen (LP CUT)

KC and the Sunshine Band, Shake Your Booty (LP CUT)

Abbysinians, Declaration Of Rights (LP CUT)

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra (7 INCH)

The Cramps, What’s Inside A Girl? (12 INCH)

Jimmy Gilmer, Sugar Shack (7 INCH)

0105 6/18/2024

Tasting Notes

Plan? Who needs a plan? Although, I did want to follow up a Dolly Parton track with a Pet Shop Boys track, and I succeeded in that. So, hooray for planning, I guess? A Dolly Parton disco remix. Who knew.

I’m late, and the first 20 minutes of the set are pure chaos. My opening song has a skip in it. I have to quickly switch to another track. Sylvester. What a jam. “YOU MAKE ME FEEL, MMMM MIGHTY REAL.” Makes me realize what a huge influence the gay club scene has on my aesthetic, but I’m too much of a dilettante to ever stay in one groove long. I love the totality of the musical experience, and I try to fit things together in a pleasing way. And tonight I did some of my best work. Will dialed in the sound system this week and provided booth monitors, which made a huge difference, since I have a kind of hybrid mixing technique. I like to listen to the house to make sure the transitions are working the way I want them to. I’m still learning, even after decades of doing this.

There is no one in the bar. It’s weird. Then, there are a lot of people in the bar. Saturday night in downtown Boise! The continual crawl. People come, people go. I hope they tip well.

The crew is different from last month. Except for Beth. The door person Abby introduces themself, but I never meet the second bartender, Emma. They all work hard, and take care of the crowd. Abby even works some crochet into their night! It rules.

Apparently there have been complaints from upstairs at the speakeasy about our volume, which is part of the reason Will put in so much work on the PA. No complaints this time around. I work hard to make sure I keep the music present, enveloping without being overwhelming. There is fellowship and hooking up happening, and I want to complement it, not ruin it.

No one I know is there, and no one is making any requests. A dude comes up to the booth and says, “I’ve got Cokane running around in my brain” and gives me a fist bump. “Man, I never expected to hear that around here!” I was gratified, because I often wonder what goes through people’s minds as they listen to my set. I must say, I was chuffed.

DJ Retronaut and his traveling party, which included Mrs. DJ I.G.A., roll into the bar. I am happy to see them. They are family. They also understand the life, and realize I’m at a job, and allow me to do it. I love them for that. Happy Birthday, Henry Dryden. Big Red is 21!

They stay awhile, but I don’t get to play “Headhunters” by Herbie Hancock for Retronaut. That would just be showing off anyway.

I played many of the 12” records that I acquired since the last time I played. They are thick and cheap on the resale market right now. Germboy Newcox scouted out a killer single for me, “Something For Nothing,” and I played the A-side next to the Time, and it fit so well. I had not heard of this record before, a 1984 slice of Electro Funk mastered by Brian “Big Bass” Gardner at Bernie Grundmans. So I obviously have much left to discover! The search goes on.

I started late, so I tacked on another couple of minutes with “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. This amuses Beth behind the bar, which was a nice note to end on.

Next Third Space Saturday is July 20th, 2024.

Thanks for reading.

PS. I promised last month to play Sleaford Mods twice tonight. I ended up not playing them at all. THREE TIMES NEXT MONTH!

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Third Space Saturday

05/18/2024

The tracks

Shannon, Let The Music Play (LP cut)

LondonBeat, I’ve Been Thinking About You (12” cut)

Average White Band, Pick Up The Pieces (LP cut)

Bobby Brown, Don’t Be Cruel (12” cut)

The Clash, Rock The Casbah (7” single)

Kate Bush, Sat In Your Lap (7” single)

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat (7” single)

Prince, I Wanna Be Your Lover (7” single)

Cameo, Word Up (12” cut)

Tears For Fears, Change (7” single)

L.L. Cool J, Big Ole Butt (12” cut)

Berlin, The Metro (7” single)

Human League, The Sound Of The Crowd (LP cut)

Heatwave, The Groove Line (7” single)

Killing Joke, Follow The Leader (LP cut)

Cheryl Lynn, Got To Be Real (7” single)

Anita Ward, Ring My Bell (Midnight Mix by Richie Rivera) (12” cut)

Fatback, Just Be My Love (LP cut)

Climax Blues Band, Couldn’t Get It Right (7” single)

Gorillaz, Clint Eastwood (12” cut)

Hot Chocolate, Every 1’s A Winner (LP cut)

Michael Jackson, Rock With You (7” single)

Missing Persons, Words (Mini-LP)

Wham, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (7” single)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip (7” single)

Pointer Sisters, He’s So Shy (7” single)

Bay City Rollers, Saturday Night (7” single)

Ready For The World, Oh Sheila (7” single)

S.O.S. Band, Take Your Time (Do It Right) (7” single)

Junior, Mama Used To Say (12” cut)

Commodores, Brick House (12” cut)

Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls (12” cut)

Bee Gees’, In My Own Time (LP cut)

Naked Eyes, Promises, Promises (7” single)

A Taste Of Honey, Boogie Oogie Oogie (LP cut)

David Bowie, Let’s Dance (7” single)

Marcia Griffiths, Electric Boogie (12” cut)

Dillinger, Cokane In My Brain (7” single)

The Police, Roxanne (7” single)

Iggy Pop, I’m Bored (7” single)

ZZ Top, I Thank You (LP cut)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP cut)

Soho, Hippychick (12” cut)

Thin Lizzy, Don’t Believe A Word (LP cut)

Skee-Lo, I Wish (12” cut)

DEVO, Freedom Of Choice (7” single)

Joy Division, These Days (12” cut)

Amyl & The Sniffers, Some Mutts (Can’t be muzzled) (7” single)

Judas Priest, Metal Gods (LP cut)

Deee-Lite, Groove Is In The Heart (12” cut)

The Romantics, Talking In Your Sleep (7” single)

B.T. Express, Do It (‘til You’re Satisfied) (7” single)

Junior Murvin, Police & Thief (7” single)

Exile, Kiss You All Over (7” single)

Laid Back, White Horse (12” cut)

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (12” cut)

Roots Manuva, Again And Again (12” cut)

Kendrick Lamar, Pride (LP cut)

Tasting Notes

Plan? Of course I had no plan. I wanted to integrate a lot of new records into the set, to set things up differently, and not rely on the “crutch” records I usually play. I had the afternoon to myself, and I spread things out and considered my options. I have been acquiring a lot of 12” records in the past few months, obscure and legendary. Mostly second hand. Mostly cheap. Those records are plentiful right now. So I loaded the crate with some of them. I like to hear stretched out versions, but not always. Sometimes I just like the sound of them, which is their utility. Of course, the trouble with vintage records is that if they are any good, they are worn out, often to the point of being unlistenable. I’ve been disappointed many times, but there is always something else to play.

I ended up changing out about 60% of my LP crate, but only about a quarter of my 7” singles. I did limit myself to one container of each. Which is a good way to induce focus.

I pack up the car and head down. I have a level of apprehension about this gig. The regular crew I had grown used to was all gone, and there were new people there, and I didn’t know them. I used to use the bar staff to play off, and now things were going to be different. Of course, I had played there the month before, but I shared the night with the Dryden Brothers, Retronaut and IGA. And that was cool. I arrived late and left early. But that time I didn’t take the elevator, and since I was so out of my routine it didn’t feel real.

I made it a point to get there early, so I could feel what the vibe was. The elevator was unresponsive, but that issue worked its way out quickly. I get to the booth and there are light controllers everywhere and a new monitor arrangement. I get myself prepared.

I start right at 9. I have several opening songs set up, but I go with the Shannon track just because it states the theme, “let the music play.” And that is what I do. One song to another. Seeing what feels right. I play some of my usual records in a different place, which makes me feel different, and leads to different outcomes. I realize that most of the people in the bar have no idea what thought goes into the presentation. I don’t say this to be self-aggrandizing. I am there, doing a job,that I can do well sometimes. And it does make me happy to see people react, even though they largely are unaware that a human being is providing the soundtrack for the space.

Garrett is responsible for the light controllers in the booth. They set up the installations around the bar, and they look amazing. In his spare time he checks IDs at the door. And juggles.

Speaking of the bar, it seems to have regained some of its mojo after the blows it has sustained this year so far. There are some larger than expected crowds rolling in throughout the night. My son shows up. There are a bunch of people he knows from Borah High in the house, and a few of them have come up to make themselves known before Sam even shows up. He’s on the town. Stays for a while, comes up and discusses the records I’m selecting. He heads out, goes over to the Electric Banana.

There is a volume complaint. I’m not insulted at all. It’s hard to gauge how loud the various corners around the bar can be. Records are all cut differently.

Beth, the new bar manager, comes up for a drink order, and I introduce myself. Later she tells me that she loved the set. That reassures me. One of my goals is to help the staff get through an evening, and play my role in the process. This is a business, not a clubhouse, and I am totally okay with it. You can be friendly with your audience, but they are not your friends. Mystery and distance are your friends. Leave them wanting more.

I’m glad to be there doing this thing that I have done for a good portion of my life. I don’t need friends there, even though I’m friendly with people. I’m there at a job, and I will continue to do it as long as they want me.

So, the plan? I did okay with it. I shifted things around, played the Roots Manuva 12” that Brion managed to track down for me. Also got Dillinger’s “Cokane in My Brain” worked in. Lots of 7” records. Did not play Sleaford Mods at all – maybe I’ll play them twice next time.

Next Third Space Saturday is June 15th, 2024. 2100 hrs is go time.

Thanks for reading.

[djmossback]

TONIGHT IN THE UNDERGROUND. SPACEBAR ARCADE. 5/18/24

tHANK YOU, CITIZENSCREEN.

Mabel Normand in her NY apartment circa 1925

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This said, I will be at Spacebar Arcade on Record Store Day. I doubt that beastiality will be encouraged or condoned.

04/20/2024 9 to 1. Third Space Saturday. Downtown Boise.

1976.

Pinball encourages bestiality in Palo Alto.

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I'm into the 45rpm 7 inch record. I have a lot of them. I may have too many of them. It figures. I have this problem.....

A promotional photograph from RCA Victor, c. 1950

From Wikipedia: "The 7-inch 45 rpm record was released 31 March 1949 by RCA Victor as a smaller, more durable and higher-fidelity replacement for the 78 rpm shellac discs. The first 45 rpm records were monaural, with recordings on both sides of the disc."

"As stereo recordings became popular in the 1960s, almost all 45 rpm records were produced in stereo by the early 1970s. Columbia Records, which had released the ​33 1⁄3 rpm 12-inch vinyl LP in June 1948, also released ​33 1⁄3 rpm 7-inch vinyl singles in March 1949, but they were soon eclipsed by the RCA Victor 45."

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Sunday Strokin'

This still sounds great when I spin it in the Underground.

Third Space Saturday, Record Store Day 4/20/2024 9-1

The Sound of 1981.

[djmossback]

Third Space Saturday 3/16/2024

Spacebar Arcade

Tasting Notes

I was late. And I got street parking really close. I loaded my hand truck. Jules had the elevator ready for me. Really, the cards were falling into place for a smooth set. Which is good, because I had no plan, except that I was going to start with the PiL track “Memories.” On 7” single. Import. A record I’ve had since release in 1979.

I didn’t play PiL. At all.

An Athletic and a bottle of water were waiting for me in the booth, as I set up and did an equipment check. I started late. With Iggy. Which sounds great. I decide on a UB40 LP cut to follow it up. Turntable left is dead. And I’m starting late so I get a nice dead spot. You know what? I roll with it. I figure out I haven’t potted up the channel, and the power cord is loose. I fix it. Surprisingly, I’m not rattled. I just deal.

I get in a 7” groove going, but I can tell I’m strangely disconnected from the scene. There are people in the house, but they don’t stay long. It’s St. Patrick’s Day (observed), and there is green in the building. Even though I’m half-Irish, I’m not a Catholic, I don’t drink, and I’m old, so I’m out. I’m not a participant in amateur holidays. Not a joiner. Never have been. I’ve missed out on a lot of fun being this way, but I don’t care.

I’m consciously trying to organize the set in a different way. Introducing new tracks into the mix. I’m not really sure if things are in the right order. I play “Down On the Street” from Funhouse by The Stooges, which I love, but maybe I should have gone with “Loose.” Either way, the pressing sounds great – thundering low end and a great track.

Another NA is delivered, by CP, and even though I’ve admired them, and their work outside the bar, it’s the first time we’ve ever spoken to each other. They remark that the 7” boxes are cute. It seems to be a theme. The majority of the first hour is 7” singles. It’s not a plan, it’s just the way it’s worked out. It’s never a plan. I played Tony Basil for instance! And, not because it’s Irish.

It’s hard to get a bead on the room's energy. It seems like people are coming and going faster than normal. I can hear people, but they feel like they are a long way away. My transitions are sloppy, not always tight and good. I need to start concentrating.

Jules comes up, and tells me that this is her last Third Space Saturday. That is not welcome news. When I can’t get a good feel for the crowd, I can always watch Tavis, Jules, CP and Brando to key on. It’s going to be different in the future.

My friend Geneva shows up after going to a flamenco show earlier in the evening. I was unable to satisfy her craving for a ELO song. Maybe next time. I couldn’t find any of my ELO records. 7”ers, of course. “Last Train to London” would be a great jam to have.

I’m not tired, but I’m not entirely engaged either. There is something in the air. Geneva helps, she is always a good audience, but I’m mentally elsewhere – maybe at the legislature, maybe at Treefort. Geneva says I have some girls dancing in the video games section, so that sharpens me up and gets me back in the groove.

Jules comes up and asks me for more hip-hop, and I kind of oblige. Although I am not a genre DJ, I love to throw it in the mix, because it is music, and it stands up.

I go a little over, but when I play the Kendra Morris 45 at 33, and don’t notice until the chorus, I know it’s time to pack up.

TRACK LIST

Spacebar 03/16/23

PRE-Fort

Iggy Pop, I’m Bored 7”

UB40, Tyler LP cut

Cheryl Lynn, Got To Be Real 7”

Culture Club, Time (Clock Of The Heart) 7”

Pointer Sisters, He’s So Shy 7”

Vince Staples, Big Fish LP cut

XTC, This Is Pop 7”

Booker T. & The M.G.s, Hang ‘em High LP cut

Tommy Tutone, 867-5309 (Jenny) 7”

R.E.M., Radio Free Europe 7”

Bee-Gee’s, Night Fever 7”

Toni Basil, Mickey 7”

Sleaford Mods, T.C.R. 12”

The System, You Are In My System LP cut

Snoop Dogg, Drop It Like It’s Hot 12”

Stone Roses, Fools Gold LP cut

OutKast, The Way You Move LP cut

Heatwave, The Groove Line 7”

Timbuk 3, Futures So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) LP cut

The Cramps, What’s Inside A Girl? 12”

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat 7”

The Stooges, down on the street LP cut

Climax Blues Band, Couldn’t Get It Right 7”

Rusty Bryant, Fire-Eater LP cut

Dazz Band, Let It Whip 7”

Fatback, Take It Any Way You Want It LP cut

DEVO, Freedom Of Choice 7”

Taste Of Honey, Boogie Oogie Oogie LP cut

Londonbeat, I’ve Been Thinking About You 12”

Stacey Q, Two Of Hearts 12”

Dee-Lite, Groove Is In The Heart 12”

Spinners, Rubberband Man 7”

The Smiths, How Soon Is Now? 12”

Kendrick Lamar, Money Trees LP cut

Otis & Carla, Knock On Wood 7”

Amii Stewart, Knock On Wood 12”

Michael Jackson, Rock With You 7”

Althea & Donna, Uptown Top Ranking LP cut

L’Trimm, Cars That Go Boom 12”

Megan The Stallion, Ride Or Die LP cut

2Pac w/Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman, California Love LP cut

Ready For The World, Oh Sheila 7”

Human League, The Things That Dreams Are Made Of LP cut

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head 12”

Berlin, The Metro 7”

Ramones, Swallow My Pride LP cut

Teardrop Explodes, Treason 7”

Skee-Lo, I Wish 12”

Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls 12”

Tilt, Arkade Funk 12”

Hot Chocolate, Every 1’s A Winner LP cut

Gap Band, Outstanding LP cut

Mos Def, Ms. Fat Booty 12”

Beastie Boys, She’s Crafty LP cut

RUN-DMC, Walk This Way 12”

Nazareth, Hair Of The Dog LP cut

Thin Lizzy, Johnny LP cut

Dr. Dre and Snoop, Ain’t Nothin’ But A G Thang LP CUT

Dillinger, Kokane On The Brain 7”

Digital Mystikz, Misty Winter LP cut

Supersuckers, Dead Homiez 7”

Stranglers, Golden Brown 7”

Kendra Morris, This Life 7”

Madison Time, Part 1 LP cut

Gazebo, Masterpiece 7”

Going to have to go back through my crates to try and recreate. I’m kind of foggy on the specifics.

Next Third Space is Record Store Day, 20 April, 2024. I may have my man IGA split the night with me; we’ll see what the big bosses decide is best.

Join the Legion Of Cygnus. Sign their petition, contribute if you can.

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[djmossback]

“I will stay here, playing the third Saturday of every month, for as long as they want me. So, I will be back next month, 17 February 2024 at 9pm. Hope to see you then.”

Well, I didn’t see you. I missed that gig because the state yanked the bars beer and wine license, and they reduced their hours to work around it.

So I stayed home. I’m bummed not to be playing, but I understand. I will do whatever they ask of me. But they are in a really tough spot. Going without a liquor license is hard, and merely having a beer and wine license after having hard alcohol is not ideal.

Zack and Will continue to fight though. Crowdfunding and advocating for themselves in the media and statehouse. It’s an uphill battle, the old boys network is hard to penetrate.

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All of this came to fore right after Will gifted me a team jacket. It was an honor to receive it.

I am back in the booth on the 16th of March, my traditional pre Treefort weekend set. I will be playing music in the festival with my band, eL Dopamine. I hope I have energy for it all.

[djmossback]

TONIGHT, TONIGHT!

One of my DJ heroes is spinning tonight at Spacebar. His name is DJ-IGA, THE INDEPENDENT GROCER. He is very good. I've mentioned this before. He is technically much better than me. Matches beats, and is more coherent in his set selections. I will be there tonight to take notes, and learn at the masters knee. He also doesn't take requests.

[djmossback]

Tasting Notes

Saturday night in the Underground. On the surface world the week’s snow was melting, but none of that concerned us cellar dwellers. I had prepared for the day by taking several naps, but I wasn’t feeling all that great. I wasn’t really tired, but was hazy and light-headed. I spent a little time rotating some new records into the crates, pulling some of the new acquisitions in, taking some of the overplayed/unsuccessful titles out. The load feels heavier all the time. Imagine how much “easier” this would be as a 7” single DJ – well, not exactly easier, but lighter.

I envy the people who plan their sets in advance as much as the laptop DJs, but neither approach is a fit with my skill set, which works for me: having more records than I will use, and choosing from those based on the situation in place, and what I feel is working. 

I got going, found a good parking space, rolled down wet but clear sidewalks, down the elevator, and rolled to the booth. Bar is not crowded. Will is there. Tavis and CP behind the bar, Brando at the door. No CyberJewel. No chair to put my LP crate on. Will gets me one. I put the booth back in order. I’m 50 seconds late starting. I use one of my usual openers, Wire’s “Ahead,” which starts things off with a simulation of bell sounds, which I like to use to announce that the program has changed. I have several records like this, but am always looking for more. The opening song is the key to the whole set, in my opinion. 

I feel off, I’m fighting with the sound, trying to get things to sound even and seamless, and I have varying degrees of success with this. I’m trying to expand my technique, which is resolutely old school radio/club presenter style. Cutting out intros, beat matching, seamless segues. I want things to flow together in a way that may only make sense to me, but sound good. Some of it worked, some of it didn’t. I’ve been trying to learn to use headphones for more than just cueing records. It’s hard. I learned to use house sounds in my formative DJ years, and it’s proving to be useful tonight, because I am fighting with system volume. CyberJewel shows up to work and gets the sound situated, my backdrops set, and brings me an Athletic to go with the one Tavis supplied earlier. 

Nicky Mustard, Grace Horror and Alex Speedway are there right after 9. They are there to give a nod, play some Centipede and take in the scene. I threw in a bon bon for Nick, the Buzz Martin classic “Sick Of Settin’ Chokers,” in a particularly jarring place. I followed that with another PNW staple, “Lump” by The Presidents of the United States of America. Nick was about to leave, and he came up to the booth to tell me that he and Alex had a conversation about how I would follow that up, how they couldn’t think of a way out of that puzzle, and that they never in a million years would have expected the record I played next: “The Metro” by Berlin. 

It brings up a point about my methodology. I’m not just playing disparate things to be clever. I have no idea why putting those three records together would work. It just made sense to me. 

A rush of people come through the door, and suddenly the place is filled. They are super loud, and just like that we are busy. A couple of guys approach the booth, and I steel myself for the “Do you take requests” query, but they instead comment on my Mariners gear and talk baseball. 

My step-third-nephew Isaiah shows up with his person Toshi. So nice. They stay a little bit, play a few games, and head off to dinner. 

I had a couple punk rock sets mixed in, but I also played Foghat. For nearly the first time since I got in the booth I didn’t play ZZ Top. I left a lot of usuals out. The Sleaford Mods’ new record, a cover of Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls,” I left at home, because I couldn't find where I put it. I left the PSB out in solidarity (j/k). I wanted to do things differently, and I didn’t feel like it fit. I played a second predominantly guitar-oriented set after CyberJewel asked me to play some stuff that will liven her up. That’s how I got The Vibrators into the tracklist. 

It’s glaringly obvious to me that I have no control of my library. I’m just not sure it’s a bad thing. It keeps things interesting, I’ll say that. I kept finding things I wanted to play in the search for the Mods record – the Teardrop Explodes single “Treason,” for instance. My library is so unkempt I discover things hidden in it that I had forgotten I had. Of course, I’m partial to whatever I find, because I accumulated it in the first place, so I’m already predisposed. But it reminds me of my more social youth, where I would wander over to the host’s music collection and occupy myself playing their records for the party. I serve a similar function in the Underground.

Finally, I wanted to send a love letter to this place. It’s really special, and I feel privileged to be playing a part in it. I enjoy the noise, and the warmth, and even though I don’t drink alcohol, and I rarely play games, and I don’t need to find companions for the night, the parade of humanity pleases me. It’s great to see people having fun, and getting outside their usual environs. This place is always evolving, too – ideas are tried and kept, tried and discarded, moved around, moved up, moved out. It’s alive, and it remains fresh because of it. 

CyberJewel asked me if I had fun, and I didn’t know exactly how to answer right then, but I must be, because I make the effort, I think about it often, and even though I don’t plan anything ahead of time I do acquire records specifically to play in this setting. 

I will stay here, playing the third Saturday of every month, for as long as they want me. So, I will be back next month, 17 February 2024 at 9pm. Hope to see you then.

The Tracks

Wire, Ahead 12”

Black Box, Strike It Up 12”

Chic, Dance, Dance, Dance (YOWSAH YOWSAH YOWSAH) 12” long mix

C & C Music Factory, Gonna Make You Sweat 12” mix

Donna Allen, Joy & Pain 7”

Pointer Sisters, He’s So Shy 7”

Buzz Martin, Sick Of Settin’ Chokers 7” (Lavender Records single)

Presidents Of The United States, Lump Lp cut

Berlin, The Metro 7”

Heatwave, Groove Line 7”

Elvis Costello, Pump It Up 7”

Romantics, Talking In Your Sleep 7”

Tower Of Power, What Is Hip? Lp cut (pictured on top)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip 7”

David Bowie, Let’s Dance 12” long version (Video in the Middle)

Prince, Let’s Work 12” long version 45rpm

GQ, Boogie Oogie Oogie 7”

Foghat, Fool For The City Lp cut

Eddie Rabbitt, Drivin’ My Life Away 7”

Phillip Bailey w/Phil Collins, Easy Lover 12” remix

Johnny Clarke, Declaration Of Rights Lp cut

Washed Out, Feel It All Around EP

Smiths, How Soon Is Now? (Long 12” Version)

SOS Band, Take Your Time (Do It Right) 7”

Karol G, Provenza Lp cut

UB40, King Lp Cut

Climax Blues Band, Couldn’t Get It Right 7”

Wipers, Way Of Love Lp cut

Billy Squier, The Stroke 7”

Vince Staples, Big Fish Lp cut

Tilt, Arkade Funk 12”

Ready For The World, Oh Sheila 7”

Queen, Another One Bites The Dust 7”

Go-Go’s, Our Lips Are Sealed 7”

Nirvana, Sliver 7” Sub Pop Singles Club

Black Flag, Six Pack 7” Dez version

Sex Pistols, Anarchy In The UK 7”

Nazareth, Hair Of The Dog Lp cut

Shangri-La’s, Give Him A Great Big Kiss Lp cut

(Played this in tribute to the great Mary Weiss)

Missing Persons, Words Ep cut

Beastie Boys, She’s Nasty Lp Cut

The Cure, Love Cats 12”

Donna Summer, Sunset People Lp cut

Animotion, Obsession 7”

The Police, Don’t Stand So Close To Me 7”

Patrice Rushen, Forget-Me-Nots 7”

Naked Eyes, Promises Promises 7”

XTC, Ten Feet Tall 7”

Simple Minds, Promised You A Miracle 12” 45rpm

Khruangbin, Maria Tambien Lp cut

Kinks, All Day And All Of The Night Lp cut in MONO

Kirsty MacColl, Innocence, (The Guilt Mix) 12” 45rpm

Max Romeo, War Ina Babylon Lp cut

Daft Punk, Get Lucky Lp cut

The Cramps, Human Fly EP cut

Plague Vendor, Black Sap Scriptures Mini Lp

The Vibrators, Into The Future Lp cut

Notorious B.I.G., Gimme The Loot Lp cut

Wire, Go Ahead 7”

Beat Happening, Nancy Sin 7”

Bad Brains, Pay To Cum 7”

Teardrop Explodes, Treason 7”

Gary Numan, Cars Lp cut