Irwin's TOP ONE List of 2000
1. The Langley Schools Music Project (a.k.a. The Lochiel and South Carvolth Schools Glenwood Region Music Group)

Dave Mandl Top 11 of 2000 (London, England)
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto secret gig at The Great Eastern Hotel, 7/29
  • Murphy No Geisha/Die Trip Computer Die at The Centurion, Deptford, 5/5
  • Martin Carthy at The King's Head, Crouch End, 10/13
  • Monday night free-jazz gigs at The Bonnington Centre, Vauxhall
  • Bert Jansch: Rosemary Lane
  • Fuji Velvia film
  • Maison Européenne de la Photographie, rue de Fourcy, Paris
  • Vegetarian Indian buffet at Chutneys, Drummond Street
  • Vegetarian lunch buffet at Country Life, Warwick Street
  • NFT (National Film Theatre), and the NFT Film Cafe
  • Exploding Cinema screenings at the wonderfully garish Hatcham Social Club Hall, New Cross

Yancy Yohannan
  • the white stripes * destijl
  • guy klucevsek * free range accordian
  • joel rl phelps *inland empires
  • the fall * the unutterable
  • emmylou harris * red dirt girl
  • radiohead * kid a
  • optiganally yours * exclusively talentmaker
  • egnekn * egnekn
  • neil young * silver and gold
  • cat power * the covers record
  • clinic * internal wrangler
  • the supersuckers * the evil powers of rock n roll
  • the new pornographers * mass romantic

Tom Scharpling, Host of THE BEST SHOW ON WFMU

TOP TEN STUFF THIS YEAR
  • WORD OF MOUTH (one-man show by Ali Farahnakian) Simply put, the best one-man show I've ever seen. It's life-altering and as funny as anything could ever be. And it's still running on Wednesdays at 9:30 throughout January at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. You won't be sorry.
  • CLINIC - Internal Wrangler CD (Domino, UK) Rocking, moody, smart, fun, and doesn't wear out its welcome. Almost enough to make me care about music again. Almost.
  • MY TWIN HATREDS OF FRENCH MUSIC AND MODERN COUNTRY MUSIC - It's important to know what you hate. And I hate this music. A lot. French music just blows outright, long and hard. Real country music is fine - great, great stuff - the kind of stuff you'd hear on Laura Cantrell's show. But when you find C&W by way of Westerberg and Pirner, you suck.
  • THE NEAL POLLACK ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE by Neal Pollack (McSweeney's Books) - A very funny book. A very funny man. Hopefully will make magazine journalists think twice before writing. Which leads to...
  • A WHORE JUST LIKE THE REST: THE MUSIC WRITINGS OF RICHARD MELTZER by Richard Meltzer (Da Capo Press) Required reading for anyone who writes about music. Don't like the state of rock criticism? Don't blame me, I voted for Meltzer.
  • WHITE STRIPES - De Stijl CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry) The other record I liked this year enough to put on this list.
  • The REPRINTING OF CHARLES PORTIS (Overlook Press): America's greatest unknown great author is now available for everyone to enjoy. Start with DOG OF THE SOUTH (joyously rambling, very funny), then try MASTERS OF ATLANTIS (dizzying, very funny), then read his first novel NORWOOD (sweet, very funny).
  • BUYING DVDs: In an off-year for movies (really liked WONDER BOYS, not counting TRAFFIC or CROUCHING TIGER because I didn't see them in 2000) my love of DVDs was without equal. Highlights included OUT OF SIGHT (most underrated movie of the 90s) BRAZIL 3-DVD set (all-encompassing), MAGNOLIA 2-DVD set, ELECTION (mean and gets meaner) and RUSHMORE: CRITEREON COLLECTION (mean but gets sappy, unfortunately).
  • MY TWIN HATREDS OF FRENCH MUSIC AND MODERN COUNTRY MUSIC - Because sometimes you just can't hate enough.

Webhamster Henry's Top 10 Imaginary Recordings of 2000
1. Deposit -Iyama
a 28 minute live piece that sounds like she's pooping. And what's playing on that radio anyway?

2. Methane Ring Chorus - Prelude
short pieces of decoded DNA, read aloud by "Methane" and his class of 5th graders in some kind of choral reading arrangement.

3. Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My - the Zookeepers
Not to be outdone by Dave Soldier's Elephant orchestra, The Catskill Game Farm put these animals together and let them go at a lot of exotic and war-hardened percussion instruments.

4. This Block is Mine - Candida
Multitracking at its best, one hot summer day Candida put a mic out of each of her apatment's windows (in Little Italy) and put each on a single channel.

5. Plant Music - BBG
another recording trick, this time recording plants growing and playing it back at 256 times original speed.

6. The Bats sing The Bats - Guano guano
A kind of a step away from the Beatle Barkers.

7. Drone with us! - Edyoga Corp.
an industrial motivation recording from Edyoga, pushing their sales force onward in their repulsive MLM scheme.

8. Close but no Banana - Shaved Tones
top microtonal group plays an entire side with no pitch higher than 60 Hz, the other side is all within the interval of a minor second.

9. Bossa Nova 2000 - gli mozzarelli
Cheezy Brazilian pastiche from the masters of Italian sun-fun. Japanese Import.

10. It Begins With A Phone Call - Morris Archives
A musical based on the life of Morris Rosenberg, Tin Pan Alley hustler and song plugger. Authentic period material done right,with cameos from other contemporaries.

DJ Monica's BEST OF 2000:
  • Best Year of the Year: 1981
  • Why Was I Born Award: Judy Garland, Judy Garland Speaks! LP (Mad Deadly Communist Gangster Computer God!)
  • 12 Step Anthem: "Re-Hab," Stew, Guest Host LP (The Telegraph Company)
  • Relapse Record (extra points awarded for CD booklet offering home video of uncle tying off): "I Need Drugs," Necro, I Need Drugs LP (Psycho-logical)
  • The "Quick, Hide The Cylinder, Here Comes Moby!" Award : "Ground Zero: June 29, 1888" (the oldest surviving recording known to man), from John Schott's Shuffle Play: Elegies For The Recording Angel LP (New World)
  • Hoe's Anthem: "Hoe's Anthem," DJ Roli Fingaz, 12" (Pimp Style)
  • Old School Compilation (Mesozoic Era): MTV Presents Masters of the 1's & 2's - History's Greatest DJ's (Priority)
  • Old School Compilation (Paleozoic Era): Ego Trip's The Big Playback LP (Rawkus)
  • Carpal Tunnel Turntablism Award: "Killer Cali Cut," DJ Marz, Pirate Fuckin' Radio 100 (Hip Hop Slam)
  • Deviated Septum Award: The 1981 Disconet Top Tune Medley, Mike Arrazo and John Matarazzo, 12" (Disconet)
  • DJ of theYear: Meet Blaine, the hottest DJ in the Big Apple! (Body Glitz gel available only in specially marked doll packages, while supply lasts!) http://www.generationgirl.com/catalog/images/blainecat2.gif
  • Reputation Spreading Fast: DJ Mayonnaise
  • Velvet Rope Award: "Club Selection," Sensational, Heavyweighter LP (WordSound)
  • Best Wiggle: "Wiggle Wiggle," Disco Rick, Down South DJ's LP (Lil' Joe)
  • Best Wobble: "The Wibbly Wobbly Walk," Jack Charman, The Wibbly Wobbly Walk (Saydisc)
  • They Passed This Way: Frankie Crocker, Rosko, DJ Screw, Joe Robinson, Sr., Jocko Henderson, Jack the Rapper, Johnny Taylor, Bernice Petkere, Julie London.
  • Makes the Cut (presumably male): "Ceremonie de Circoncision," Groupe N'Gali, Uganda/Sources of the Nile (Ocora)

Charlie Lewis
2000 Top Eleven Albums:
  • MOUSE ON MARS | Niun Niggung (THRILL JOCKEY)
  • BROADCAST | The Noise Made By People (TOMMY BOY)
  • ANDREA MARQUEE | Zumbi (STERN’S BRASIL)
  • AIMEE MANN | Bachelor Number 2 (SUPEREGO)/Magnolia Soundtrack (REPRISE)
  • ROBERT ASHLEY | Dust (LOVELY MUSIC)
  • DIM DIM | Ananas (AUDIO DREGS)
  • CLINIC | Internal Wrangler (DOMINO)
  • HOAHIO | Ohayo! Hoahio! (TZADIK)
  • GONZALES | Gonzales Uber Alles (KITTY-YO)
  • NOONDAY UNDERGROUND | Self-Assembly (M 21)
  • MORTON FELDMAN | Routine Investigations, etc. (NAIVE MONTAIGNE)
Eleven Favorite, Mostly New, Songs:
  • BOB HUND | Plankton | Installet For Musik: Forvirring (SILENCE)
  • BROADCAST | Come On Let’s Go | The Noise Made By People (TOMMY BOY)
  • ROBERT ASHLEY | Don’t Get Your Hopes Up | Dust (LOVELY MUSIC)
  • FUTURE BIBLE HEROES | Hopeless | I’m Lonely (MERGE)
  • GILBERT & SULLIVAN | The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze | Topsy Turvy (soundtrack) (SONY CLASSICS)
  • AAVIKKO | Alas Volgaa | self-titled (BAD VUGUM)
  • LAURA CANTRELL | Queen Of the Coast | Not the Tremblin’ Kind (DIESEL ONLY)
  • LINOLEUM | Sing To Me | The Dead Cheap Fierce Panda Sampler (FIERCE PANDA)
  • PRAM | The Mermaid’s Hotel | The Museum Of Imaginary Animals (MERGE)
  • HOPPY KAMIYAMA & BRADFORD REED | Nepa Nepa | The Bubbleman 2 (GOD OCEAN)
  • FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ | Nothing At All | A Place In The Sun (KNITTING FACTORY)
Eleven Albums I Actually Listened To A Lot This Year, Not Necessarily New At All:
  • STEREOLAB | Cobra and Phases Group (WEA/ELEKTRA)
  • FUTIQUE | Go.Low (SHADOW)
  • ELIZA CARTHY | Red Rice (TOPIC)
  • MOUSE ON MARS | Niun Niggung (THRILL JOCKEY)
  • CRUMB | Soundtrack (RYKO)
  • MORTON FELDMAN | The Early Years (ODYSSEY/COLUMBIA)
  • JUNE CARTER CASH | Press On (RISK)
  • TIPSY | Trip Tease (ASPHODEL)
  • TOM RECCHION | Chaotica (BIRDMAN)
  • CARL STONE | Mom’s (NEW ALBION)
  • DYMAXION | Dymaxion x 4 = 39:21 (TRATTORIA/POLYSTAR)

ANDY WALTZER BEST OF 2000
  • 1) My favorite radio show: Maryann Ciba's "Divine Excess" on FMU. Particularly, the evening listening atop my roof on Avenue A; looking down on the streets I've walked so many times while a glorious Waterboys tune played on her show.
  • 2) Riding to Minnesota with my sweetheart Jill; meeting all the folks in the towns and cities we stopped in, marvelling at the animals and cornfields, twas brilliant.
  • 3) My Hero Friends who have been through so much shit this year and still have their soul & humour intact; Amy Jo & Pam getting evicted by greedy landlords, Sarah Lux being the ultimate kittie loving queer while working at suburban nighmares Applebees and Olive Garden, & I'd tell you what happened to me but the instigator of it might sue.
  • 4) Lemon malt beverages.
  • 5) Amazing new records of the year:
  1. Kathleen Yearwood: Dog Logic
  2. Kimya Dawson: Knock Knock Who?
  3. Moldy Peaches: Forever
  4. Cathal Coughlan: Black River Falls
  5. Mirah: You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This
  6. Vashti Bunyan: Just Another Diamond Day (reissue)
  7. Bitter Springs: Benny Hill's Wardrobe
  8. Mila Drumke: Hip To Hip
  9. Martin Stephenson: Lilac Tree
  10. Anne Briggs: The Time Has Come (reissue)
  11. Scarlet's Well: Isle Of The Blue Flowers
  12. Aislers Set: The Last Match
  13. Julie Adler: Julie Adler
  14. Rebecca Hall: Rebecca Hall Sings

Rix's TOP TEN LIST

NUMBER ONE: My sister, Jean, & brother-in-law, Neil, who saved my ass.

The rest are in no particular order.
  • Bradlee's 99 cent cassette closeout bins.
  • Paul Tillich: The Courage to Be. A relatively accessible treatise from a great existentialist theologian. Tillich has been labeled a theist, a pantheist & an atheist. He's very reassuring without actually promising anything.
  • Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heamey: Incredible. nightmarish up welling of the unconscious Dane mind. Monsters & meade. Loaned to me by a psychotic writer from mental ward 2A while I was hospitalized in ward 2B.
  • Ennio Morricone: Exorcist II, The Heretic. Goblin-like soundtrack with good use of voices.
  • Salsa, Puerto Rico Vs. New York. Lalo Rodriguez, Alex Bueno, Cuco Valoy, Max Torrez & others duke it out. Call it a draw. (Capitol)
  • Donald Fagen; Kamakiriad Generally forgotten 1993 solo release, slickly produced by Walter Becker. But the production is a ruse. Despite the layers of boppish horn charts, funk lite riddems & chirping backup singers, Fagen can't quite distance himself from the eight loosely connected noir stories & tall tales. It's an epic & ultimately pointless odyssey down the East Coast in a Kamakiri, a Scot/Balinese hybrid vehicle complete with hydroponic garden & coffee machine. Gets better with repeated listening.
  • Victor Davis Hanson: The Soul of Battle: Comparison of three great generals: Epaminondas of Thebes, William Tecumseh Sherman & George Patton. They all led citizen armies for the purposes of liberation & the destruction of oppressive societies; they all moved fast & tried to avoid deadly frontal assaults; their armies immediately demobilized when the goals were accomplished. Lesson: Militaristic nations are tough, but jive-ass at the core,
  • P.F. Sloan: Precious Times, the Best of P.F. Sloan. Yeah, Rhino released this 14 years ago. So what? Lots more fun than Dylan. (Rhino)
  • Jill Gomez: Songs of the Auvergne, arranged by Joseph Canteloube. Lovely art song renditions of modal French folk songs. Is it a French shepherdess I desire, or the singer? (Angel Records)

MR. FINE WINE'S TOP TEN 45s HE LOST ON THE Q TRAIN ON MAY 12, 2000
1. The TMGs, "The Hatch"
2. Guitar Slim, "Mini Boogaloo"
3. Hank & Claude Carbo, "Fox in a Miniskirt"
4. Chocolate Glass, "Joseph Holly"
5. Bo Dud & Johnny Twist, "The Get It"
6. Danny Freeman & the Soul Superiors, "Jungle Walk"
7. The Rudy Robinson Trio, "Chicken Scratch"
8. The Jaybees, "Jaybee"
9. Top Hat & Little Jeff, "Mississippi Bump"
10. Ernest Van Treose & the McDaniel Mary Street Band, "Popcorn Push Push"
DID YOU FIND THEM?


Terre T's Cherry Blossom Clinic
Faves & Best of 2000 and Beyond
  • CLINIC - Internal Wrangler - Domino, UK
  • ELEVATOR - A Taste of Complete - Teenage USA (www.teenageusarecordings.com)
  • THE BELLRAYS - Grand Fury - Uppercut (www.thebellrays.com)
  • WHITE STRIPES - De Stijl - Sympathy
  • BAD WIZARD - s/t - CD-5 - (badwizard1@hotmail.com)
  • THE GLANDS - s/t - Capricorn (www.capri.corn.com)
  • SILKWORM - Lifestyle - touch and go
  • THE IN OUT -A Living Memorial in Deutschland -(www.theinout.com) Dark
  • Beloved Cloud
  • THE FALL - The Unutterable - Eagle, UK
  • ERASE ERRATA 7"- Cat & the Canary-Inconvenient
  • LOLITA STORM - GFSU - Digital Hardcore
  • THE STROKES - s/t - CD5 - (www.thestrokes.com)
More BEST FAVES 2000:
THE FROGS - Racially Yours - 4 Alarm, KROPOTKINS (mulatta), MOMETERS (www.frequentanimation.com), PEACHES (kitty yo), 1985 (Progeria), CHRISTINE 23 ONNA (Alchemy), THE HIVES (Burning Heart), DYMAXION (Trattoria), V -TWIN (Domino, UK), ONEIDA (Jagjaguar), SOUL JUNK (5 Minute Walk), PRAM (merge), QUINTRON (www.bulbrecords.com), LAURA CANTRELL (Diesel Only), CHICKS ON SPEED (K), NEW PORNOGRAPHERS (Mint)
MUSIC that's FUNNIER and SMARTER than ME or YOU 2000:
CARNIVAL OF COAL "Maniac," THURSTON HOWL III "I Live With My Moms," ASS "Hoboken Sux" (www.geocities.com/assband), V/VM - all (www.brainwashed.com/vvm), FOREIGN LEGION "Nowhere to Hide," ZACHARY BRIMSTEAD ESQ. "B-U-S-H" and POUT "Secret Dancer" (both from Scharpling's THE BEST SHOW ON WFMU), SUE P. FOX "Dear Beauty Editor," JOHN SCHNALL - Midnight Matinee -all, LOW DOWN DIRTY D.A.W.G.S.-all, DJ SNAX AND TJ FREE -all (bedroomprod@aol.com) Q ELECTRONICS "Drum Buddy," EC8OR "Gimme Nyquil All Night Long"
BEST FAVE COMPILATIONS 2000:
TEENAGE TREATS all, but especially vol. 6 (no label), most all MESSTHETICS and HYPED TO DEATH comps (www.hyped2death.com), COOL BEANS #12 (www.coolbeans.com), HOT PINBALL ROCK (multiball), POWER PEARLS (no label), most all of TOYO Presents series
BEST FAVE REISSUES 2000:
THE KIDS ('fanclub' reissue), GIZMOS 76-77 (Gulcher), VKTMS (Broken), HOLLYWOOD BRATS (the 'Brit NY Dolls', pre-Boys), CONTROLLERS (Bomp), COME ON (Heliocentric), ORIGINAL MODERN LOVERS (Bomp), NIKKI & THE CORVETTES (Bomp), ROTTERS (Bacchus Archives), WARSAW PACT (Captain Trip),
CRAZED+ NOISY BEST FAVES 2000:
SIGHTINGS (no label), OVERHANG PARTY (pata physique), LOWDOWN (www.strange-attractors.com), ARAB on RADAR (skin graft), CARNIVAL OF COAL(kodiak/season of mist), F*CKING CHAMPS (drag city), IN/HUMANITY(prank), MIKEY WILD (bulb), INTERNATONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY(Burning Heart), MYLES OF DESTRUCTION(gruntled), SOCKEYE(Mortville), LIGHTNING BOLT (Load), THRONES (KRS)

Bob Brainen
Top Ten 2000
Notes: These are in no order. It says more about my frame of mind than the quality of current music that most of these are reissues.

  • 1) NRBQ-Scraps (Rounder)
  • 2) Xtc-Wasp Star: Apple Venus Volume Two (TVT)
  • 3) Karen Mantler-Karen Mantler's Pet Project (Virgin)
  • 4) Sandy Denny-No More Sad Refrains 2 cd set (A&M)
  • 5) Charles "Baron" Mingus-West Coast 1945-1949 (Uptown)
  • 6) Flying Burrito Brothers-Hot Burritos 2 cd set (A&M)
  • 7) NRBQ-Scraps Companion (Edi-Sun/Big Notes-Fan Club Only)
  • 8) Vashti Bunyan-Just Another Diamond Day (Spinney)
  • 9) Sun Ra-When Angels Speak of Love (Evidence)
  • 10) Chad and Jeremy-Distant Shores (Sundazed)

Mike Lupica/Record Fair Director
Ten rock and roll awards
  • 10. Best overall everything: Starlite Desperation. Their staggeringly excellent "Go Kill Mice" LP inspired me to follow them around the tri-state area for three days like some kind of total rock & roll doofus. The album's title track might be likened to a manic take on CCR's "Run through the Jungle" with an added dose of intense punk dementia. Gun Club fans may now charge to the front of the line.
  • 9. Best dressed: Knoxville Girls. A band that so effortlessly exudes the cool, it's a wonder that all other groups dont just break up out of sheer dorkiness. Sharp suits, alligator smiles, and the finest raunch-rock outta New York in years.
  • 8. Best band from Ohio: Cobra Verde. Saw 'em twice at Maxwell's, where I hooted n' hollered at 'em like a total idiot. They are the one and only rock band that has ever inspired me to purchase an article of clothing made of black velvet.
  • 7. I'm in love with: Bratmobile--Live on Rhubarb Cake. I didn't even know they were coming and when I charged downstairs and crashed directly into drummer Molly Neuman, my heart went all a-flutter. Their new reunion LP is much more tuneful than the early-90s riot grrl records for which they are adored, but they still retain a healthy intimidation factor.
  • 6. Best shadow of my past: Bluetip. One of the more universally-hated post-core bands of recent years, and in my mind, one of the best. The ringing guitars and riveting thud of their 'Hot Fast Union' EP reaffirms: A.) why I loved bands like Verbal Assault and American Standard when I was a younger man, and B.) that I am NOT getting too old for this sort of thing.
  • 5. Biggest surprise: Ronnie Spector. The earliest rock and roll crush I can remember having. She scored innumerable points with me for releasing a great EP on Kill Rock Stars, including a goose-pimply rendering of Johnny Thunders' "You Can't Put Your Arm Around a Memory."
  • 4. Oh my god, I finally found the: Red Snerts compilation on Gulcher Records. Primitive and totally Devo-damaged artpunk straight outta your worst Midwestern United States nightmare. Excellent band name alert! The Gizmos, Dow Jones and the Industrials, E-in Brino, Freddy and the Fruitloops, and the Post Raisin Band, to name a few.
  • 3. Best Reissue: Three way tie between (1) The Donner Party (everything from country-tinged pop to psychedelic meandering) (2) Government Issue (did someone say Washington DC fixation?) and (3) ESG (shut up, I'm dancing.)
  • 2. Best 45: Donny Denim. I still haven't figured out who he is, but how can you not love a guy who dresses in head to toe denim, has a perm, and is giving the world a dual-fisted thumbs-up on the pic sleeve of his stellar single on the Radio X label?
  • 1. Best death: Post Rock. Shoot it again, I think it moved.

Fabio's Favorite Music Picks for 2000
(In no particular order)
Artist/Title/Format & Label
  • Ora - Amalgam, Limited edition double lp, Editions IV Ora are Colin Potter, Darren Tate and Michael Northam. This collaboration pulls together some amazing talent to deliver for sides of brilliant, fluid soundscapes. Totally mesmerizing!
  • Fluscan - Fluxus Anthology, 30th Anniversary Collection, 1962-1992. Various artist, 10 cassette set in a special wooden box, accompanied by artist books, texts and artwork. Recent re-issue. Collects rare and unique pieces by some of the most well known Fluxus artists.
  • Iannis Xenakis - Persepolis, CD Fractal re-issue, France. One of the most sought after Xenakis recordings, having been deleted very soon after its original 1971 release. A mind-blowing, Electro-acoustic masterpiece.
  • N. U. Unruh - Euphorie Im Zeitalter der Digitalen Informationsubertragung, CD Ego Records, Germany. Solo release from one of the original members of Einsturzende Neubauten.
  • Various Artist Comp. SpaceAge/Ochre/Earworm - "Interface" CD, Spaceage Recordings. UK. Features tracks by Spectrum, Peter Zinovieff, Land of Nod, Imaginary Friends, John Massoni & Sonic Boom, E.A.R., others.
  • Cornelius Cardew - The Great Learning, The Scratch Orchestra, CD, Organ of Corti re-issue, USA.
  • Peter Brotzmann Sextet/Quartet - Nipples/1969, CD Atavistic/Unheard Music Series, USA
  • Climax Golden Twins - Imperial Household Orchestra, Live Volume 4, 10" record, Anomalous Records, USA
  • Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra - Strange Strings, LP, El Saturn re-issue (bootleg)
  • David Tudor/John Cage - Rain Forrest II, CD, New World Records. From a live performance on Radio Bremen, 1972.
  • Piero Umiliani - Musica Elettronica, double lp, Easy Tempo, Italy. Great early electronic pieces, mostly for soundtracks.
  • Muay Thai - Traditional Woodwind & percussion music for Thai Kickboxing. Cassette, Thailand. Incredible music rarely heard outside of Thai kick boxing matches. It is intense, hypnotic and utterly beautiful music. This music makes the brutality of a kickboxing match seem completely serene and engaging.
  • Simon Wickham-Smith and Richard Youngs - Lake, CD re-issue, VHF, USA. Long out-of-print, early release by Wickham-Smith/Youngs, and finally available again.
  • Il Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - Musica Su Schemi lp, Cramps records re-issue, Italy. Among the several amazing musicians in this group are Ennio Morricone, better known for his soundtrack work, and Franco Evangelisti.
  • Janek Schaeffer - Wow n Part 1, and part 2. Limited ed. 7", Diskono, UK. Great sound piece with off-center wacked out grooves. Part 2 must be requested by mail with coupon from part one and is a complete mind-fuck! A great art stunt if there ever was one!
  • Chop Shop - Kaput, limited ed. 3" Cd, Generator Sound Art, USA. As always, Mr. K. outdoes himself with a stunningly packaged cd. Comes wedged next to a piece of shattered safety glass, wrapped in gauze. The intense build up of sound in this piece is like a long, slow orgasm.
  • Ennio Morricone and Il Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - Gli Occhi Freddi Della Paura, re-issue lp, Dagored, Italy. Soundtrack to the film of the same title, this is the only credited soundtrack appearance of this group on a Morricone Soundtrack, but it is one of his best.
  • Iggy and the Stooges - 1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions, 7 CD box set, Rhino Handmade, USA. OUT-OF-PRINT! Regrettably, this is already unavailable, and it was bound to happen, because if you love the Stooges, then this is like an orgy! They should do this with the first album as well.
  • Egnekn - 8-track Magic, CD, Generator Sound Art, USA. The ultimate deconstruction of Led Zeppelin, and pop culture. Genius.
  • Acid Mothers Temple - La Novia, limited ed. Lp, Eclipse Records. This is the type of psychedelic music you want to be listening to when the blue light shines on the pink fuzzy orb in the sky.

BRIAN TURNER, WFMU Music/Program Director, Tue 3-6pm
  • Ah, engagement
  • Diving Grand Cayman and clinically insane Australian divemaster we had
  • Having the Acid Mothers Temple & Bellrays play on the show
  • Ake Hodell - Verbal Brainwashing (Fylkingen)
  • Listener Kevin Nutt's gospel CD-R compilations
  • Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun (Warners Japan) +
  • DJ Pica Pica Pica - Planetary Natural Gus Webbin (Comma)
  • Outkast - Stankonia (LaFace/Arista) and on Letterman
  • Marc Tremblay - Bruit-Graffiti (Emprientes Digitales)
  • Clinic - Internal Wrangler (Domino UK)
  • Various - Ropeladder 12 (Mush)
  • I got much better at pool
  • Hatewave reissue (Tumult)
  • "Cellular Hellular" cassettes
  • Lorette Velvette - Rude Angel (Okra-Tone)
  • Giant Sand - The Rock Opera Years (Ow Om)
  • Dead C - Language Recordings 1 & 2 (Language)
  • Laura Cantrell - Not the Trembling Kind (Diesel Only)
  • Mikey Wild - I Was Punk Before You Were Punk (Bulb)
  • Sightings & Erase Errata demos
  • Egnekn - 8 Track Magic
  • Joe Belock's mic breaks
  • Gorgoroth - Incipit Satan (Nuclear Blast)
  • Joe McPhee - Nation Time (Atavistic)
  • Various - Ego Trip's Big Playblack (Rawkus)
  • Lightning Bolt - Conan 7" (Load)
  • Playing with the Bunnybrains (and the NY Fire Department!) @ the Cooler
  • Magnolia Bakery, Bleeker Street
  • Live: Bellrays, Laddio Bolocko, Oneida, Fucking Champs, Ted Nugent, Battlebots, Charlemagne Palestine, Wire, People Like Us, Low Down Dirty DAWGS, Neil Young, Avey Tare & Panda Bear, Willie Nelson. Special mention for the Mometers' sexy rock and apparel (Gwen Stefani, Shirley Manson all pale).

Rob Weisberg:

10 Notable World Music Albums from Y2K, representing 10 favorite labels:
  • Garmarna: Vengeance / Northside (1999 but just in to WFMU library)
  • Nass Marrakech: Sabil 'a' Salaam / Alula
  • State of Bengal: Visual Audio / Six Degrees
  • Ricardo Lemvo: Sao Salvador / Putumayo
  • Various Artists: Rough Guide Indonesia / World Music Network
  • Various Artists: Safarini / Smithsonian Folkways
  • Various Artists: Sambe-Comores / Dizim
  • Various: Ethiopiques 8 / Buda (1999? But new arrival at WFMU)
  • Various: Spirit of India 2 / Wagram
Special Category: Brass Bands of the Year
  • Fanfare Ciocarlia: Baro Biao / Piranha (Best Band, 2000)
  • Bollywood Brass Band: Bollywood Brass Band / Emergency Exit Arts (Zlatne
  • Uste Award for best new non-indigenous band)
Favorite Concerts:
  • Rokia Traore at Lincoln Center Out of Doors - an engaging young singer and band in the Malian Wassalou roots tradition
  • Oumou Sangare and Habib Koite - Malian mainstays at the generic but comfortable BB King Blues Club
  • Garmarna at World Financial Center, a powerful performance by the edgy Nordic folk-rockers despite the venue's challenging acoustics
  • Amadou and Mariam at Central Park Summerstage (performance a bit disappointing, but amazing just to see this potent Malian vocal duo and their remarkably well-adapted European band)

Douglas Wolk

  • GETTING ENGAGED--Self-explanatory.
  • RADIOHEAD Kid A (Capitol)--Can you imagine what would happen if every good band suddenly did something this risky, painstaking and idiosyncratic?
  • BURNING MAN 2000--I proselytize about the experience a lot, but that's because it's amazing and like nothing else on the planet. Photos at http://www.spiraling.com/shots/burningman/images00/images00.html .
  • MUSLIMGAUZE Baghdad (Soleilmoon/Staalplaat)--Never the most consistent artist, he's gotten even more inconsistent since his death, but the thing about inconsistency is that sometimes you bat way out of your own league.
  • "THE AUTHORITY" (Mark Millar and Frank Quitely's run)--There are probably other comic books that are better, but there've never been any as cool as this.
  • WIRE live and "Twelve Times You" 7" (pinkflag.com)--It pays to touch base with first principles every so often.
  • THINGVELLIR (Iceland)--The most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. Actually, Iceland is pretty great in general.
  • THE MOUNTAIN GOATS in session for WFMU, and John Darnielle's 'zine _Last Plane To Jakarta_--Intimate, bizarre, hilarious, savagely smart, thoroughly delightful.
  • "MADHUR JAFFREY'S WORLD VEGETARIAN" (Clarkson Potter)--Simple, different, delicious.
  • THE FALL Live 1977 (Cog Sinister)--The craziest, harshest live rock 'n' roll ever recorded--the between-song patter alone is incomparable--ending with the greatest "Louie Louie" of all time.

Ken Freedman

Ken's Clickable Top 15 Not Necessarily from the Year 2000

Click on each track to hear it's Realaudio file.
Joe Belock
  • Insomniacs - Get Something Going (Estrus)
  • Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious (Burning Heart)
  • Monkeywrench - Electric Children (Estrus)
  • Holly Golightly - God Don't Like It (Damaged Goods)
  • White Stripes de Stijl (Sympathy)
  • Embrooks - Our New Day (Voxx)
  • Dwight Yoakam - Tomorrow's Sounds Today (Reprise)
  • PJ Harvey - Stories From the City ... (Island)
  • Come-ons - self-titled (Sympathy)
  • Sleater-Kinney - All Hands On the Bad One (Kill Rock Stars)

Diane Kamikaze's 2000 top ten
  • Skydiving
  • Alabama Thunder Pussy
  • Insomniacs CD - Get Something Going
  • Saxon & Udo at L'amours (Brooklyn) October 27th
  • Zeke, New Bomb Turks at Knitting Factory- Monday October 9th
  • Metalfest...weekend of November 10th (LA) Transmetal, Witchery, DRI,
  • In Aeturnum, Agent Steel, Dekapitator, The Haunted, Jag Panzer
  • High On Fire, Spirit Caravan - Continental - January 16th
  • Chiller Theatre Expo - Kane Hodder, El Hijo del Santo, Tura Satana,
  • Andrew Robinson, James Doohan, Dennis Dunaway
  • Hives CD - Veni Vidi Vicious
  • CBGBs Loud AZ Fuck fest July 7,8 Damad, Drop Dead, Hellchild,
  • Disassociate, Meatjack, Cattle Press

DJ Orange Julius

musical top 10 (no order):
  • the new pornographers: mass romantic (mint)
  • grndntl brnds: communicating for influence (vaccination)
  • lifter puller: fiestas + fiascos (self-starter foundation/frenchkiss)
  • outkast: stankonia (laface)
  • death cab for cutie: we have the facts and we're voting yes (barsuk)
  • the white stripes: de stijl (SFTRI)
  • anti-pop consortium: tragic episode (75 ark)
  • rumah sakit: s/t (temporary residence)
  • switchblade: 10" (blood of the young)
  • broadcast: the noise made by people (warp/tommy boy)
runners up:
  • radiohead: kid a (capitol>blackalicious: nia (quannum)
  • the in out: a living memorial in deutschland (dark beloved cloud)
  • oneida: come on everyboy let's rock (jagjaguwar)
  • books lie: it a weapon (bushwick)
  • !!!: s/t (GSL)
  • destroyer: thief (triple crown audio/catsup plate)
  • the rock*a*teens: sweet bird of youth (merge)
  • excelsior!: s/t 12" EP (belladonna)
  • weakling: dead as dreams (tUMULt)

Mike Goodstein

here is my wfmu top 10...
  • 1. harry bertoia exhibit at the robert miller
  • 2. September 10th, erase errata & black dice at the den & the california party in greenpoint
  • 3. n.w.o.b.p. (new wave of brittish pop: baxendale, ladytron, the clientele, noonday underground, etc...)
  • 4. the aislers set
  • 5. electroacoustic improvisation (as documented by ameobic, erstwhile, for four ears, grob, potlatch, slub etc..)
  • 6. le shok (12"'s, 7"'s, projectiles tossed at the audience & at them...)
  • 7. vegan hazelnut tortes
  • 8. reissues/bootlegs i though i'd never see it ensemble of chicago: les stances a sophie; sun ra strange strings (bootleg), lanquidity, when angels speak of love; iannis xenakis: persepolis)
  • 9. m.i.m.e.o. live... for 24 hours...
  • john tilbury's piano (live with amm, in duo w/evan parker & on the morton feldmam box)


Meredith Ochs

Top 10 albums:
  • Johnny Cash: American III (American)
  • Richard Buckner: The Hill (Overcoat)
  • Stew: Guest Host (The Telegraph Recording Company)
  • Neko Case: Furnace Room Lullabye (Bloodshot)
  • Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker (Bloodshot)
  • Marah: Kids in Philly (E-Squared/Artemis)
  • New Pornographers: Mass Romantic (Mint)
  • Dave Alvin: Public Domain (HighTone)
  • Swan Dive: Swan Dive (Compass)
  • The Glands: The Glands (Capricorn)
Top 10 singles:
  • Shelby Lynne: Life Is Bad (I Am Shelby Lynne/Island)
  • Shelby Lynne: Why Can't You Be? (I Am Shelby Lynne/Island)
  • Steve Earle: Everyone's In Love With You (Transcendental Blues/E-Squared)
  • Marah: Faraway You (Kids In Philly/E-Squared)
  • Caitlin Cary: Rosemary Moore (Waltzie/Yep Roc)
  • Dwight Yoakam: What Do You Know About Love (Tomorrow's Sounds Today/Reprise)
  • North Mississippi Allstars: Shake 'Em On Down (Shake Hands With Shorty/Fat
  • Possum)
  • Kenny Roby: Mercury's Blues (Mercury's Blues/RiceBox)
  • Stew: Rehab (Guest Host/The Telegraph Recording Company)
  • Jayhawks: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (Smile/Columbia)
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