Welcome to The Schoolcast wherein I acknowledge a few of the people who have educated my music taste more than most.  Without a Musical Big Brother figure in my life I have relied on a motley crew of people from all over to get me into music to which I might otherwise never have been exposed, and the process continues today of course.

For someone who is an accidentally self-appointed arbiter of taste* I actually know relatively little about music, and particularly the history of pop music. I don’t know much Neil Young, for example, I don’t know much Pink Floyd, I don’t know much Dinosaur Jr. or Guided By Voices, or even Can – and those are just the ones for which I have been directly chided.

Anyhow, I am making inroads into some of this ignorance, and it’s actually a shitload of fun, as you can imagine. As with last week’s Neil Young write-up, I think I’ll start covering some of these records on the blog a bit more often, as I think the blend of brand new stuff and older music will work really nicely. Enjoy!

Toadcast #268 – The Schoolcast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Pink Floyd – Astronomy Domine (00.22)
02. Lee Noble – December (08.46)
03. Jake McKelvie & the Countertops – Oh the Ghost (13.57)
04. Neil Young – Southern Man (20.29)
05. Thirty Pounds of Bone – The Maritime Line (29.04)
06. Pearl Jam – Dissident (35.29)
07. The Raincoats – Don’t Be Mean (43.09)
08. Yo La Tengo – Big Day Coming (47.09)
09. Cherokee Red – Mythomania (55.50)
10. Columboid – Juicy Mode (1.00.57)

*When I started a blog, I just wanted to write down some stuff about music. I never really imagined people would take that to mean I thought of myself as a ‘tastemaker’**, which I most definitely do not.
**What a fucking horrible term that is, eh. Let us never speak of it again.

 Salford is to Manchester pretty much what Leith is to Edinburgh – the scummy port town which is close enough to be pretty much part of the city, but still maintains a separate identity. And indeed Salford may be a good way behind Leith in this aspect, but it too seems to be slowly becoming nicer and nicer, and shrugging off some of its rough image. Salford has a very long way to go I suppose, but there does seem to be a fair bit of decent arty stuff happening down there at the moment, which tends to be how these things start.

Anyhow, on Sunday I am going to down to Salford for the Sounds From the Other City festival.  There will be stages booked by all sorts of excellent Manchester promoters, like Comfortable on a Tightrope, Underachievers, Now Wave and Manchester Scenewipe, and plenty of people knocking around who I haven’t seen for a while, so I am rather looking forward to it.

I also get the chance to see my Granddad and have a wee whisky together on Saturday night, which will be excellent. My Granddad and I get on really well these days, but when I first moved to England and spent some of my first year at university living at his house it wasn’t always the case for various reasons. Consequently, the fact that we get on so well is something we both take great pleasure from and make sure we don’t take for granted, which is a nice thing.  Whisky: bringing people together since the 1400s.

Toadcast # 267 – The Salfordcast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Black Market Karma – Sole Abuser (00.21)
02. Rob St. John – Charcoal Black and the Bonny Grey (09.14)
03. Virgin of the Birds – Christiane (16.15)
04. Powerdove – Love Walked In (22.21)
05. Still Caves – Dutch (26.17)
06. Laura Viers – Shadow Blues (35.27)
07. Suuns – Powers of Ten (42.02)
08. Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Swimming Song (47.21)
09. Weavers – Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (49.47)
10. Adam Stafford – Please (57.35)

 The Gnomecast could have been called many, many things. It could have been called The Widecast after Wide Days, the Edinburgh-based music convention I attended in the middle of last week, and from the showcases at which two of the songs on this podcast were chosen. Equally, it could have been called the Witchcast, due to the fact that the vicious old Fucker of Working Britain is now a thing of the past.

In fact, now that I think about it, a whole podcast dedicated to anti-Thatcher songs would probably have been a distinct possibility, but my feelings on her death are not quite so clean cut. Yes, I am glad she is dead, but it’s more of a sense of relief, just a sort of feeling of peace now such a vindictive, spiteful cause of so much harm is finally gone, rather than the sort of air-punching, high-fiving glee which was in evidence after Osama Bin Laden was finally rubbed out.

But make no mistake, Thatcher was far more evil than Osama Bin Laden. Never mind domestic politics, her support for despots around the world was directly involved in the deaths of many, many more people than amateurs like Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden.  The fact that these people were mostly brown, or at least brownish, leads us to underestimate the horror for which she was responsible, but responsible she most certainly was. To be fair, of course, I don’t doubt that Hussein and Bin Laden would have been capable of far, far worse deeds had they had the power to actually carry them out, but I am not sure that should really be an excuse for the likes of Thatcher, Reagan, Bush and Blair.

Sorry, that really had nothing at all to do with gnomes, did it. Ah well, move along.

Toadcast #266 – The Gnomecast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Judy Garland – Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead (00.19)
02. M.J. Hibbett and the Validators (01.07)
03. eagleowl – Not Over (12.24)
04. The Pictish Trail – Wait Until (17.46)
05. Numbers are Futile – Justice is Light (and Blood) (27.37)
06. Law Holt – Hustle (34.30)
07. Garden of Elks – Floaty (42.07)
08. Siobhan Wilson – Reading You (45.10)
09. Kid Canaveral – Who Would Want to be Loved? (51.31)
10. Virgin of the Birds – Evening of Light (58.09)

It took me ages to name the Cranecast, primarily because it’s a tenuous name, doesn’t really pertain to the podcast at all, and there weren’t many other options immediately springing to mind either.

It turned out that the answer was literally staring at me the entire time. At the Scottish Tattoo Convention last week I met a friend of a friend who runs Venus Flytrap Tattoo in Edinburgh. In amongst her sketches was a really nice one featuring a Japanese Red Crowned Crane. The image was awesome, but it is already someone else’s tattoo unfortunately, so I couldn’t just get one myself.

So I’ve spent a large part of the day looking up images for old Japanese crane images, images of the bird itself, and some Art Deco stuff, because the combination of Japanese and Art Deco styles in her stuff was one of my favourite aspects.

So yes, nothing to do with the music, just what happened to be right in front of my nose at the time, sorry.

Toadcast #265 – The Cranecast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Hookworms – Away Towards (00.24)
02. Dolfish – Grown Ups (11.02)
03. The Hundredth Anniversary – Pressure Sphere (19.01)
04. Lonesome Leash – Pelican (26.05)
05. Jane Bolts – Magnet (30.57)
06. Father Sculptor – Ember (36.02)
07. Hemlock Shaw – She in the Backyard (41.32)
08. Lou Breed – Hospital Ward (50.23)
09. Elim Bolt – Farm Kid (53.22)
10. Nia – Doctor Doctor (1.00.30)

The Semitoadcast is not an erection joke, it is so named because there are four tracks on this one by Song, by Toad Records bands. Two – the Yusuf Azak and Lil Daggers tunes – are not actually on the label, and two – Sparrow and the Workshop and Plastic Animals – are.

One of the others was just an experiment which Yusuf fired up on Facebook the other week, but happens to be ace, and the other is a freebie on this compilation by Miami magazine Pure Honey. So not quite Toad Records releases as such, but sort of related.

I also discuss our plans for Record Store Day, which includes the Beer vs. Records launch, the release of our new Split 12″ and an all-day event in The Last Word on St. Stephen’s Street in Stockbridge, in partnership with VoxBox Records.

Toadcast #264 – The Semitoadcast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Program – Waiting (00.17)
02. Plastic Animals – Pizarnik (07.06)
03. Yusuf Azak – Deceive (13.24)
04. Whilk and Misky – Wing Clipper (14.34)
05. Peace Arrow – Broken Bridge (21.29)
06. Sparrow and the Workshop – Faster You Spin (32.00)
07. Bogan Via – Red Sun (36.12)
08. Echo Park – Teleportation (39.33)
09. Lil Daggers – Spider Lily (46.37)
10. Lid Emba – One Less Philistine (50.26)
11. Lower Plenty – Strange Beast (1.02.39)

 Yes, another year, another total shambles of a podcast. Oddly enough, the one time this has been even vaguely together was the one year the BBC happened to show up to film it. How we managed to get it together for that one occasion I have no idea. Maybe the TV cameras scared us into behaving.

Anyhow, this year’s podcast is probably the biggest shambles since the very first SXSW podcast. We are joined, at various times, by Mrs. Toad, Young Ian, Pandy from Gerry Loves Records, Ben Soep, the managers of Tango in the Attic and We Were Promised Jetpacks, as well the BBC’s ultra-credible and in-no-way-inebriated Ally McCrae who definitely wasn’t still a total shambles from St. Mirren’s League Cup win earlier in the day. And that’s before the usual subjects as myself, Vic Galloway, Peej and Stuart from Creative Scotland.

We were a few Margaritas down already, and it only got worse during the podcast, honestly. I am not sure this tells you much about SXSW, but it sure gives you a pretty clear idea of what it does to people.

Toadcast #263 – The Tatcast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Paws – Sore Tummy (00.22)
02. Doe Paoro – Hallelujah (07.49)
03. Young Fathers – The Guide (20.21)
04. Tango in the Attic – Sellotape (23.52)
05. Sinkane – Runnin’ (30.47)
06. Reuben Dangoor – Being a Dickhead’s Cool (36.12)
07. Indians – Somewhere Else (43.30)
08. Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler (48.41)
09. Ghostface Killer – The Mask (57.57)
10. Holy Esque – St. (1.08.57)
11. Dave Carroll – United Breaks Guitars (1.12.21)

 The Queuecast is the best I could come up with in an attempt to amalgamate the anticipation of heading off to SXSW on the weekend, with the inevitable queueing to get into stuff once there.

Actually, that’s not quite true. There’s so much going on at places like SXSW that really, if the thing you want to see has an annoying queue (and for me they are never anything other than annoying) outside it, then you can always walk five minutes down the road, walk straight in untroubled, and see something else equally brilliant instead.

Mrs. Toad is out there already, presumably having cocktails with young Ian who works at the label with me. In fact those two total fuckers are probably three or four margaritas down already, as you read this. Bastards. Anyhow, I get out on Saturday afternoon, and the gin will be flowing within moments, I promise you.

The upside of this SXSW fun, which will no doubt irritate the shit out of people back home, is that Toad Hall once again becomes a recording studio while we are away.  Both Rob St. John and Meursault will be making inroads into their next releases over the next fortnight, so hopefully the thought of that will calm your jealous rage at all the fun we are having in Texas.

Toadcast #262 – The Queuecast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Mike Higbee – Secret Life (00.28)
02. Shift-Static – Estrella (10.03)
03. Vandaveer – Pretty Polly (15.51)
04. Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards – Sheets (19.32)
05. Brown Brogues – Anyone But You (25.07)
06. Kurt Vile – Wakin’ on a Pretty Day (32.02)
07. Breathe Out – Dead Friends (45.30)
08. Playlounge – Elephant (48.50)
09. Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood – Pentecostal (53.46)
10. New Fabian Society – Homily (1.00.22)

 Man Edinburgh’s being a little tease at the moment. It’s cold, but the sun is out, and from the safe confines of my office it’s all too easy to look out the window and think that Spring really is in the air.

Of course, once you go outside such myths are dispelled, but there’s nevertheless something immensely cheering about bright sunshine, even if it’s cold.  In fact, probably especially if it’s cold.

This week’s podcast is relatively poppy, actually.  Some awkward stuff in there I suppose, but for the most part it’s possibly a little more palatable than usual. No drum-bashers and amp-torturers anyway.

Anyhow, what the fuck ever, we’re off to SXSW next week for Margaritas in the sun and Bloody Marys at Rio Rita’s and the ludicrous carnival of commercialism which is SXSW.  It’s fun to go to, but honestly I wouldn’t want to have to go there with ambitions to work because, honestly, you’d just get utterly swamped.

That’s all for later though. For now, sunshine! Aaaahhh..

Toadcast #261 – The Suncast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. Jonnie Common – Figurehead (FOUND’s The Wetter the Better Remix) (00.44)
02. Bill Baird – Spring Break of the Soul (08.07)
03. Ardentjohn – In the Morning (20.24)
04. Peter – Sleep With Me Baby (25.07)
05. Robin Grey – Mariam’s Cake (29.27)
06. Britt Sommar – Tell Me (39.20)
07. bagelproject – Fickle Heart (46.24)
08. belgianfog – Wait For Help (48.45)
09. Female Band – One Day the Sea Will Swallow Me (57.01)
10. Suuns – Edie’s Dream (1.03.12)

Video – Vimeo – YouTube
Photos – Flickr
Session tracks - zip download (right click – save as)
Interview podcast – mp3 – iTunes – Mixcloud

Woodpecker Wooliams – Sparrow (Toad Session)

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Woodpecker Wooliams – Gull (Toad Session)

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Woodpecker Wooliams – Crow (Toad Session)

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Toadcast #260 – Woodpecker Wooliams Toad Session by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

01. Woodpecker Wooliams – Sparrow (Toad Session) (03.59)
02. Vivian Void – You Stop It (10.45)
03. Sons of Noel & Adrian – Come Run Fun Stella Baby Mother of the World (14.49)
04. Woodpecker Wooliams – Gull (Toad Session) (24.10)
05. Twice as Much – Coldest Night of the Year (28.37)
06. Peggy Sue – Yo Mama (32.09)
07. Soccer 96 – Super Warrior (38.59)
08. Melanie – The Good Book (42.16)
09. Woodpecker Wooliams – Crow (Toad Session) (50.37)

The Stiffcast is not the cheap innuendo I am sure you assume it to be.  No no no, not that sort of stiff, the sort where every joint and muscle in your body aches because you are woefully out of shape and attempting to run around like a teenager.  That sort of stiff.

Yes, after three months out with a groin strain (no sniggering at the back, please) I have tried to go back to the gym and to five-a-sides over the last week or two with what can only be described as somewhat mixed results. I am sure it didn’t use to be this hard to get back in the saddle, as it were.

The one undeniable result, however, is that I have been hobbling around like an old man, because every morning without fail I have been stiff as a fucking board with aching muscles and sore joints. This must be what it’s like to wake up as C3PO.

Toadcast #259 – The Stiffcast by Song, By Toad on Mixcloud

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01. The Black Tambourines – Ghost at a Party (Toad Session) (00.25)
02. Jonnie Common – Figurehead (Dry) (05.57)
03. Peace Arrow – Gems (11.27)
04. The Hundredth Anniversary – The Jump (15.05)
05. Shiny Darkly – Diana (20.27)
06. The Android Angel – Her Shoulders (27.27)
07. Weeknight Sinners – Give Me a Taste (35.07)
08. True Gents – Honeycomb Heart (39.57)
09. North American War – Geraniums on a Spit (47.46)
10. Mat Riviere – Wool (54.20)