Fireball XL5 is the name of an indie-pop show hosted by Frank Seglenieks that for 18 years was on CKMS 100.3 FM Radio Waterloo. However, as a result of a format change in mid-2008, Fireball XL5 is now heard only as a podcast.

Of course I stole the name of the show from the 60s British Supermarionation program, which featured puppets kind of like the movie Team America.

I play alternative music that usually classified as indie-pop with the occasional feature on a particular artist or theme as well as discussions on pop culture topics of the day. I start off each show with the best song that I have heard since the last
show.

Note that the links to shows older than 6 months might not be working, if you really want those shows please send me an email and I can get them to you.

Friday, June 20, 2008

June 20, 2008

Theme: Venus and Honey
On Air: Frank and Michelle

Michelle joined me for this show so the talking bits are lot more interesting then when I do the show solo. After my initial set I managed to squeeze in a set by artists who are going to be playing in the area and a set about honey. I got the idea for the honey set while looking for the song "Shade And Honey" by Sparklehouse and I came upon an MP3 blog entry of songs about honey, so I stole the idea. Of course Michelle rhymed off about 5 more songs about honey during the set but I only had time to play the ones I did.

Here is Michelle's description of her sets:

My first set started off with a song that was played in the final scene of the movie "Young People Fucking", a great little indie Canadian film for which the title does little justice other than publicity as it is quirky, and humorous, with absolutely no, per say, below-the-belt shots (unfortunately -- this comment added by Frank).

The rest of the set included songs I find particularly "summery" including a track from The Cloud Cult who have been releasing their albums on the Earthology Record label, a not-for-profit environmental record label (which includes 100% recycled jewel cases and paper, soy based inks, and the recycling of CD cut scraps into milk cartons). I can't get enough of "I Woke Up Today", I've been listening to it for months and my ears haven't tired in the slightest. Check out a youtube video by Throw Me The Statue - most were shot on the deck of a very windy Seattle ferry ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BacCAXDLz10 ).

Thao Nguyen put on one of the best live shows I've seen yet this year at Sneaky Dee's back in March, a tireless guitar player she whipped her hair about like the wild Vietnamese Virginian she is. At first listen to her cd "We Brave Bee Stings And All" I wasn't sure if it was a girl or a guy singing, at least at times it sounded at lot like The Flaming Lips. The album is certainly one of my favourites so far this year.

I followed my second set up with a number of British bands I've recently discovered (Life Without Buildings, Hefner, Nina Nastasia). Life Without Buildings are from Glasgow, and broke up in 2002, but that girls completely unique vocal style is mind blowing. Also, I had tickets to see Nina at The Drake the night of the radio show but sadly she cancelled. The late John Peel was a huge fan of Nina Nastasia, and he also gave enormous props to Hefner, so I have also recently looked into their back catalogue.

The final song I played was my favourite single from 2007: The Cave Singers - Seeds Of Night. That song is so beautiful it makes me ache.


TALK-Theme
Herman Dune - I Wish I Could See You Soon
Adam Green - Morning After Midnight
Bjorn Kleinhenz - The Quest For Your Heart
Joel Alme - The Queen's Corner
TALK
Fembots - Countdown Our Days (C)
Cloud Cult - Journey Of The Featherless
Port O'Brien - I Woke Up Today
Throw Me The Statue - Lolita
Thao And The Get Down Stay Down - Swimming Pools
TALK
Life Without Buildings - The Leanover
Hefner - Hello Kitten
The Replacements - Unsatisfied
Nina Nastasia - A Dog's Life
Bonnie Prince Billy - So Everyone
TALK
The Milwaukee's Best Band - The Way She Goes (C)
Parlour Steps - The Garden (C)
Knock, Knock, Ginger - Love Renee (C)
Rebekah Higgs - Parables (C)
Born Ruffians - I Need A Life (C)
TALK (Honey Set)
Sparklehouse - Shade And Honey
Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
Daniel Johnston - Honey, I Sure Miss You
Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass - A Taste Of Honey
Jim White - Crash Into The Sun
Judd And Maggie - Sleep Interrupted
The Cave Singers - Seeds Of Night
TALK
Mystery Jets - Half In Love With Elizabeth



(C) Denotes Canadian Content

Friday, June 6, 2008

June 6, 2008

Theme: Trepid House and Shelflife records
On Air: Frank

Sometimes a show just seems to go together well and this was one of those times. A few themed sets along with some random sets and it all comes out well.

The second set focused on the bands that were playing that night in the Trepid House, a private house where small bands play in a great intimate environment. One of them were my current favourite band from Guelph "The Magic" who finally had some recorded material that I was able to buy, Torcus was also really good, but unfortunately although I liked the song by Rockenspiel that I played on the show I wasn't able to stay long enough to see them that night.


I found out about the Swedish band Kuryakin from the great Swedesplease blog and while checking out the band's record label Shelflife I checked out some of their other recent releases. One of the new bands from the label were described as "modern psychedelic pop songs influenced by the heyday of '90s Madchester." So that allowed me to also play bands from those days including The Charlatans who just happened to have a CD in the new release section of the library. You can download the first three songs in the set from: www.shelflife.com .

Of course I had to play a song to mark the passing of Bo Diddley, I thought the song might be a cover of the Jonathan Richman song, it wasn't, but it was still really good.



TALK-Theme
Acid House Kings - Say Yes If You Love Me
The Shermans - Summer In Your Heart
Lisa Bouvoir - Belgium
Those Dancing Days - Tasty Boy
First Aid Kit - Cross Oceans
TALK (Trepid House Set)
The Magic - Night School (C)
Rockenspiel - When You Were Born (C)
Torcus - I've Been Down (C)
Dearly Beloved - When You Were Born (C)
The Johnstones - Last Chance (C)
TALK
The Gruesomes - What's Your Problem? (C)
Mates Of State - My Only Offer
Merrymakers - Spinning My Mind Away
Ms. John Soda - Go Check
New Radiant Storm Kings - Scuttled
TALK (Shelflife Records Set)
Days - A Part Of The World
Kuryakin - Peace Of Mind
Ruling Class - Flowers
The Charlatans - Oh! Vanity
Happy Mondays - Lazyitis
TALK
Boomdaddy - No Stranger Now (C) **See Note 1
Ivana Santilli - Always Better (C)
MG Blues - Shake The Boogie (C)
Bo Diddley - Roadrunner
Robert Forster - Did She Overtake You
Lloyd Cole - Chelsea Hotel (C) **See Note 2
TALK
A Popular History Of Signs - Justice Not Vengeance

Note 1: The first time I can remember playing a song by someone actually related to me as my cousin Linda sang backup vocals on this song.

Note 2: Played in honour of many people I know who were going to see Leonard Cohen in concert.

(C) Denotes Canadian Content