Taking Pride in Portland (2 of 8)

Surprise! I didn’t tell you in the first post that this record is narrated by the one and only Mike Donahue of KOIN-TV channel 6.  He gives us some history about our great city of Portland before each track, and you know he does a fine job of it so I won’t even make fun of him.  He’s awesome.

(I’m pretty sure those light reflections in the water are fake, BTW) Read More »

Taking Pride in Portland (1 of 8)

Thursday I was able to leave work a couple of hours early for the holiday and decided to swing by the Goodwill Bins on my way home.  This was once a couple-of-times a week routine for me, but the bins ain’t what it used to be so I stopped going.  Anyway, I was on the hunt for records and picked up three, but the gem of the collection was a little gatefold LP called “Taking Pride in Portland” and I couldn’t pass it up.  Judging by the cover and the 1990 copyright date, I suspected this disc held some cheesy 80s synth goodness.  I didn’t listen to it until later that night and I was not disappointed.

This is the first track, and I’ll post them one at a time with the lyrics because I know this will build up some serious excitement in the Portland community.  I don’t want to share them all at once because the amount of enthusiasm that oozes out of these tracks is sure to destroy the city that it strives to promote if not taken in moderation.  Not to mention that this baby is chock full of horrible lyrical cliches.  It’s pretty impressive how many seemingly motivational yet empty strings of words they managed to cram into each track.  I bow in admiration. Read More »

It’s So Bad It’s Good.

Today from 4-5pm I’ll be a guest DJ on the Satan vs. Sunshine radio show on W+K radio.  For this special occasion I’ve chosen to dig through my dusty record collection and pull out some of my favorite “so bad it’s good” albums to share.  Part of the fun with these LPs is not only the music, but the album art.  When I’m digging through heaps of junk at the Goodwill bins looking for some new tunes, it’s always the cover that catches my eye first and makes me snatch it up, cross my fingers and hope the music is so bad it’s good!

Below are the album covers for the songs that I’ll be spinnin’ today.  Be sure to examine them in detail because the visuals add so much more to the listening experience.

Several of these are actually quite well known and you can find them posted elsewhere on the web, but there are a few gems in my collection that I haven’t seen referenced anywhere else on the web.  After the show I’ll post some mp3s for your listening pleasure.

Update: Show’s over, folks.  Here are the tracks, plus a few extra.

Faith Walkers – They Can’t Take It Away

Belle Barth – Intro Song

Ferrante and Teicher – Man From Mars

Spaced Out Disco Fever – Theme from Star Trek

Bob’s Marriage Repair Kit – Repair that Affair

Rev. Francis Cram and Wanda – There’s Glory In My Soul

MCCSRA – Leaving Home – Darren Casteel and Matt Frigon

Freeway – My Way

The Click Kids – We’re Happy Christians

Burt Reynolds – You Can’t Always Sing a Happy Song

Switched-On Rock – Spinning Wheel

Faith Walkers – Beautiful Love Drops

Ronnie Prophet – Eleanor Rigby

Lena Zavaroni – Ma He’s Making Eyes at Me

The Click Kids – King Jesus

MCCSRA – ‘sgonnabetits – John Bumstead

Bob’s Marriage Repair Kit – Baby Marriage

Scotty Alexander – The Gambler

Rev. Francis Cram and Wanda – Put Your Hand in the Hand

The Click Kids – Gospel Train

Steno Booster – Saginaw, August 9, 1960

Bert and I

Listen to the Satan vs. Sunshine Radio Hour (4-5pm every Friday)