Instrumental Invasion, 9/1/21 September 2, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Video, Video Games.add a comment
The September 1 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded an hour per day on July 22 and 23 amid construction next door.
The playlist was created on July 21 and annotated on the morning of the 22nd. The script was drafted before each recording session. That means the first hour was drafted on the afternoon of the 22nd and the second on the morning of the 23rd.
As usual, some segments ran long, requiring fast delivery or removing sentences, while others ran short, requiring padding, swapping out short liners for longer ones, and extra info. For example, I wasn’t planning on listing all the Hubert Laws albums Chick Corea played on.
I referenced the 1989 film The Wizard while back-selling “The Wizard” by Joyce Cooling. It’s a film I had heard about, but didn’t see until last September on HBO Max. It surely made moviegoers want a Nintendo Entertainment System, Power Glove (Lucas Barton loves it!), and Super Mario Bros. 3, key to the film’s climax. SMB3 was released in North America two months after The Wizard released.
The Power Glove was mentioned in The Gaming Historian‘s video on the U-Force, which creator Norman Caruso posted eight hours before airtime. Watch:
As for my show, click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
The stream audio was fine this week, clear as a bell in both channels, but there was a glitch toward the end of the first segment of hour 2. The stream (or automation) froze for about three minutes, resumed, froze again for several more seconds, resumed again, then jumped ahead to the next segment. For the part that didn’t air, I copied from my segment files and applied a multiband compressor filter.
9/3 UPDATE: Ken Navarro hosted a listening party tonight on Facebook for I Will Still Be Here, and I learned I’ve been mispronouncing the last name of trumpeter Tyler Mire. It’s “meer,” as in meerkat. It doesn’t rhyme with fire. Last week’s show and next week’s show, which I submitted yesterday morning, also have that mispronunciation.
Instrumental Invasion, 8/25/21 August 26, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Blu-ray, Comedy, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, TV, Weather.add a comment
The August 25 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was again recorded two segments per day, from July 15 to 17.
The playlist was created and annotated on the 15th and, again, the script was drafted as I recorded.
A few segments ran long, which required me to cut out information, such as what I hoped to share about The Goonies, which I watched on Blu-ray back in February.
The rest of the segments were barely short, requiring minimal padding.
I continued my tradition of playing songs that were excerpted for local forecasts/Local on the 8s on The Weather Channel. That included “Mirage” by The Rippingtons, “One Thousand & One Nights” by Shahin & Sepehr, “Go Wes Young Man” by Chris Camozzi, and “Happy Feet” by Steve Oliver. I first heard “The Way to You” by Nelson Rangell on CD 101.9. The point where I ended my talk-up is where the radio edit began.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
For the second week in a row, the left channel audio was barely audible. That means this aircheck is once again mono from the right channel.
Instrumental Invasion, 8/11/21 August 12, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Sci-Fi, Technology, Video.add a comment
The August 11 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded over three days. The first hour was completed on July 1 with two second hour segments recorded on the 2nd and the last on the 3rd. Pickups were recorded on the 3rd and 4th (in the morning, before intermittent fireworks began).
The playlist was created and annotated, and the script drafted, entirely on June 30.
Since I was eager to play the McCoy Tyner Big Band version of “Fly with the Wind,” I swapped out the 1984 and earlier segment for a second 1985 to ’95 segment.
Some segments ran short, others were a little too long. In the last talk break, I forgot to acknowledge Trevor Neumann in the horn section of “Wayman” by Steve Cole.
I had the talk-up for “I’ll Love You Later” by Jay Rowe in mind ever since he played a solo piano version last year during one of his Facebook Live streams. For the sake of example, here’s his stream from May 25 of this year:
There’s a reason I played “Godzilla” by Nelson Rangell. While I have never seen a Godzilla film, not even the latest, I appreciate the franchise. I owe my appreciation to James Rolfe‘s explanatory 2019 Cinemassacre video, “Godzilla for Beginners”:
His spoiler-free review of Godzilla vs. Kong on March 31 set me up for if I ever watch it:
One more thing: Last Friday, James posted a behind-the-scenes video regarding his recent Angry Video Game Nerd episodes. That included outtakes from Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown, the first episode of 2021. The outtakes inspired me to clip them and add “Floaters” from the YouTube audio library, which is heard at the end of Technology Connections videos, to play underneath. For fans of that channel, “Floaters” has become synonymous with “le bloops,” bloopers from a given video. It came out this way, complete with Technology Connections-inspired captions:
As for this week’s show, click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 7/28/21 July 29, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Comedy, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
The July 28 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded on June 17 (four segments) and 18 (two segments).
The playlist was created and annotated, and the script was drafted, on June 16.
Since the early days of the show, I’ve reached out to fellow WCWP alumni to record liners for it. The latest is Alexis Lindsey, known as Lexticy during her time at the station. Her liner debuted in this week’s show:
I recorded liners for her in the days of her show and I was glad to reach out to her for Instrumental Invasion.
It only took a week for me to play Rodney Franklin‘s addictive “Windy City,” which Lex’s liner led into.
Immature as it is, I can’t think of this show, the 69th overall, without an exclamation from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure coming to mind:
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 7/14/21 July 15, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Sci-Fi, TV.add a comment
The July 14 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded on June 3. It was the first show recorded in one day since January 6, which was recorded four weeks earlier on December 9.
The playlist was created and annotated, and the script was drafted, on June 2, one day before recording.
In all, I worked on three shows in 12 days, between May 23 and June 3, recording them in a 10-day span, between May 25 and June 3.
Pickups were recorded from June 9 to 11, and on the 26th.
A few segments in this show ran long, but I didn’t have to cut much out to compensate.
I made a timing error for the second straight show, this time in the second segment of hour 2. That meant I had to replace “Altair and Vega” by Bob James and Keiko Matsui with “Au Naturale” by Chieli Minucci and Special EFX. The script for the talk break coming out of that song had to be revised, along with the tease at the end of the previous segment.
I called “Vulcan Worlds” by Return to Forever a “fascinating” song because Spock (Star Trek) was half-Vulcan and fond of the phrase “fascinating.”
I came up with “Wummers of Summer” two summers ago when I heard Steve Oliver‘s “Wings of Spring” on SiriusXM’s Watercolors. I’m glad to finally say that publicly.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 6/16/21 June 17, 2021
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The June 16 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded over four days: two segments on May 11, one on the 12th, two on the 13th, and one on the 14th. A few pickups were recorded to account for omissions.
The playlist was created on May 9 with annotations and the script draft on the 10th.
A few months ago, I posted a blooper where I almost said Jeff Goldblum‘s name when I meant to say Jeff Golub. This show marked the debut of Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. Their cover of “Don’t Mess with Mister T.” appeared on The Capitol Studios Sessions, which I bought about a week before recording, along with their other album, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This. The latter album is more vocal than instrumental, so expect more from the former in the weeks ahead.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 6/2/21 June 3, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Film, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Sci-Fi, Video.add a comment
The June 2 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded over the last four days of April: two segments on April 27, one on the 28th, two on the 29th, and one on the 30th. One pickup was recorded on May 3 and another on the 15th.
The playlist was created on April 25 with annotations and the script draft on the 26th. I wrote too much to say in the time allotted on the playlist, which led some things unsaid. You can find the personnel I didn’t have time to credit at the following links:
I didn’t have to cut much from the rest of the script, but still had to fade songs down early in several cases. In the case of “Better Days Ahead” by Gerald Albright, I let the talk break overshoot what I had in mind as the post. (That refers to “hitting the post,” ending just as the main melody or vocals begin.)
One script cut was so good, I’d like to share it below. It’s in reference to “Market Street” by Yellowjackets from the Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home soundtrack:
That fourth film is set in San Francisco. I have yet to see it or any of the Star Trek films, outside of clips, and the clip I’ve seen of the fourth is Spock using his Vulcan pinch on a rowdy punk blasting music on a bus.
Here is that scene (the video):
Incidentally, Leonard Nimoy directed Star Trek IV.
Midway through annotating the playlist, I received a call from Pete Bellotti informing me I would be inducted into the WCWP Hall of Fame as part of their 2021 class. Pete is chairman of the WCWP Hall of Fame Committee and a 2019 inductee. I couldn’t say anything publicly until the announcement on May 11. I had been dreaming of this honor for a few years and was thrilled the dream came true. I just hope the ceremony happens as scheduled.
Click here to download the June 2 aircheck MP3 or listen below:
The last spot break began with my latest promo, which I recorded on May 1:
Instrumental Invasion, 2/10/21 February 11, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Comedy, Country, Film, Jazz, Media, Military, Music, Personal, Radio, Travel.add a comment
The February 10, 2021, Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded on January 14 (first hour, first talk break of hour 2) and 15 (the rest of the show).
The playlist was created on January 12 with annotations starting that day and completing on the 13th, after which the script was drafted.
In the early months of Instrumental Invasion, I avoided dated references, but now, I’m mindful of when shows air. Valentine’s Day is on Sunday, so I worked that in and played relevant songs. Drummer Eric Valentine’s presence in “Sunday Strut” by Blake Aaron was coincidental.
As long as I’ve had Boney James and Rick Braun‘s Shake It Up, I’ve thought of the main theme for The Magnificent Seven while listening to “Love’s Like That,” their collaboration with Fourplay. So, I had to mention that after I played it. Unfortunately, the explanation and side-by-side comparison led me to pick a shorter Lee Ritenour song from his Dreamcatcher album. “Starlight” was out, “Storyteller” was in. That also meant I needed to share more information about “Song for Barry” after the Airmen of Note‘s cover of the Brecker Brothers song on Return of the Brecker Brothers.
The recurring theme in this show was travel: by airplane, car, and train.
I finally got to use the Game Dave liner coming out of a David Benoit song, and from the same album, so I could say “that was Gamer David Benoit.”
Now, the bad news: I was unable to aircheck the show. It’s the third time that’s happened. On August 5, it was because my cable went out two hours before air (and stayed out until the 8th). On November 4, the FM stream was down for maintenance. I was asleep at the time, but I can only assume this third blunder was due to an automatic Windows update that made the computer restart. Microsoft Edge was still open on restart and Easy MP3 Recorder apparently still conducted its timed recording even though the stream wasn’t active. Ergo, two hours of silence.
So, click here to download the “aircheck” MP3, culled from the original segment files (plus the underwriting and Legal ID from last week’s aircheck), or listen below:
January 31-February 2 snowstorm February 3, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Comedy, Film, News, Personal, Photography, Radio, Weather.add a comment
I said in the last winter storm post that “there will be storms this winter.” It took until the last hours of January for the next storm to come, lasting nearly two days and dropping 17 inches of snow.
The first snowflakes fell at around 8PM on Sunday, January 31. I took this photo at 8:05 before going to bed:
After a broken eight hours of sleep, I was up for the day, taking this photo at 6:28 AM on Monday, February 1:
8:25 AM:
Following my morning workout, and a botched attempt at treadmill running, I returned to my room, taking these photos at 9:13:
Snowflakes were thicker at 9:53:
In the next few hours, I began watching The Goonies on Blu-ray, along with special features, and worked on the March 10 Instrumental Invasion playlist. I took a break at 12:43 PM for the next photographic update:
Any photo of the backyard was risky, as the wind gusted out of the northeast (it was a nor’easter, after all):
The snow seemed to be tapering off by 1:53, so I attempted to shovel part of the driveway after taking another batch of photos:
Before photo:
I measured 15 inches of snow on the lawn with a wooden 18-inch ruler.
After photos, 58 minutes later (2:54 PM):
For the second storm in a row, I initially felt I had wasted my time shoveling. Snow re-intensified as I shoveled and it re-accumulated. My goal was to shovel a path from my dad Bill’s car on the side of the driveway to the front door. But when he came home around 4:00, he had to park in the road. The snow I had left for the snow blower to get was too high. I wasn’t sure if he’d use the blower right away, but work began at 4:25:
At one point, Dad let me try out the snow blower. I asked my mom Lisa to capture the moment:
Working around the visible license plate, here is my edit of Mom’s video:
Having gotten the hang of it, I let Dad finish up:
It took 30 minutes to clear all that snow. Now, Dad was able to move his car into the driveway:
I took photos these at 5:13, after ten minutes of touch-up shoveling:
Unfortunately, the snow was still not over. Another two inches would fall by the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 2. I took this last photo of the 1st at 6:46, shortly before an early bedtime:
I got a broken 8 1/2 hours of sleep this time and woke up at 4:59 AM. Two minutes later…:
After watching more of The Goonies, I decided it was time for one last touch-up at 6AM. I used a 12-inch ruler to measure the additional snowfall in the driveway: 2 inches, making for 17 in all. It must have taken half an hour to shovel the driveway and then another half-hour to shovel the sidewalk up to the property line.
Starting at 7:04, I captured the after photos:
Unfortunately, a plow came through within the hour, which undid my edge work.
I took indoor photos at 7:10:
My Tuesday proceeded from there. Wet snow showers came in the afternoon, but didn’t accumulate. I did a little more shoveling around 4:00, taking this indoor photo at 4:37:
Snow showers persisted after sunset when temperatures were back below freezing. That meant the snow stuck to the ground, as seen at 7:18:
I initially tried to shovel the new accumulation on the morning of Wednesday, February 3, but it was merely a coating, so I left it.
Tuesday was also Groundhog Day, and if you’re wondering, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. That means six more weeks of winter and more storms to photograph. The next one is expected on Super Bowl Sunday. Until then.
Audiobooking 6 April 4, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Audio, Audiobooks, Baseball, Comedy, Commentary, Film, History, Media, Personal, Politics, Radio, Sports, TV, Video.add a comment
It’s been just over a year since the previous post. Instrumental Invasion has taken up most of my time, providing a necessary escape from the tumultuous reality.
I continue to listen to audiobooks on days where I workout and run, or even while editing photos. My source remains Audible, now as a paid member. When I’m billed at the end of each month, I use my credit on the next audiobook to listen to. As I type, I have three-book backlog.
Here’s what I’ve been listened to since Andrea Barber’s memoir:
There, all caught up.
Until next year’s “Audiobooking” post, happy listening.