egg y nudu. "Foxtrotsky."

"I've heard you have Russian ancestry."

"Perhaps."

"Tsarist or Bolshevik?"

"Proletariat, of course.  Why do you ask?"

"You look White Russian."

"Never!"

"Welcome home, Mr. Kane."

Possibly the biggest "star" in the musical world to visit SPACE PIRATE RADIO was Bryan Ferry.  It was during the final Roxy Music tour of 1983.  I had contacted Warner Brothers Records to see if Bryan wished to visit the show at KTYD studios during their visit to the Santa Barbara County Bowl show of May 6th.

 

The Warners' people told me Ferry wasn't doing press on this tour.  He had turned down Los Angeles radio and newspaper folks for the Universal Amphitheatre shows that would happen before Santa Barbara and nixed a Rolling Stone interview to coincide with the Berkeley show that would follow.  But then things changed...We were contacted by the record label saying that Bryan wished to visit the studio.  Zounds!

 

The story goes like this...Years earlier, so it was told, Bryan had stayed in Santa Barbara in the '70s and heard this crazy little station playing imports of Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay albums.  Albums that the "big" LA stations wouldn't touch.  The DJ playing these unknown quantities was yours truly and the show was SPACE PIRATE RADIO.  Big Grin.  A memory served.  And a little reward for being "out there."

 

Day of the concert, I pick up Bryan at the El Encanto Hotel where he is staying in one of the apartment suites.  He is dressed very casual in shorts and sport shirt.  We hit it off immediately and chat like old friends.  His ride to the studio is as my passenger in my ultra-sophisticated 1976 Datsun B-210 Honey Bee.  He doesn't seem the slightest remorse that I passed on the Rolls, Bentley or Lotus Elan.  Bryan's rather thin, exposed legs are near the stick shift and I can't help but feel that I might shift his kneecap into fourth gear.  Otherwise, we talk art.

 

He is very fascinated with the Spanish architecture.  I ask him if he's been to Hearst Castle.  He says he doesn't know it.  "Really?"  I'm surprised, so I fill him in on brief historical details and tie in the connection to CITIZEN KANE.  He lights up with enthusiasm about the subject and says he has to plan an excursion to San Simeon to see more.

Now Bryan is here for SPACE PIRATE RADIO, but the program director has asked to interview him briefly for his daily show.  Being the program director, slash, music director lets him get his way, as the record company, indebted for those all important Tuesday record adds, allows it.  Bryan is uninspired by this. 

 

Now this program director is one of those types I've been forced to deal with through the years.  The type you can get along with reasonably well, but has the ability to be a weathervane, turning to whatever direction the wind blows, often with their back to you, doing what is ever necessary to stay in the business and the music is ALL GOOD.  A type of individual who doesn't recognize what's new and exciting in music until it's been validated by others.  I remember telling him about the Pet Shop Boys, unknown to the mainstream, and describing in detail their debut work.  Weeks later, I pass by the music director office and hear him on the phone to an EMI record rep, word for word how I described them.  I was offended.  I'm sure he got nice concert tickets, backstage, a tour jacket and unlimited promos for his "brilliant observation, musical taste and review."

 

Program Director knows little about Roxy Music and/or Bryan Ferry.  "What questions should I ask him?" he amazingly asks me, his supposedly Machiavelli behind the Borgia throne.  Knowing Bryan's hatred for the new '80s bands that imitate Roxy, I say, "Ask him how he feels about bands like ABC."  *giggle*

He does, and Bryan turns away, looking out the Eighth floor window of the Granada Building, a mumbled dismissal, eye contact gone and a temperature drop immediate.  Interview over.

 

The record people suggest a photo and Bryan passes by the PD and says, "I want to get a couple with my mate, Guy."  A Teletubbie moment.  "Big Hug!"  :)

In the studio with me, Bryan is terrific.  At the end, I ask him if he might do an I.D. for SPACE PIRATE RADIO.  Up until this time, most artists would do a simple, "Hi!  This is 'such and such' on SPACE PIRATE RADIO."  But Bryan changed the pattern.  He took his time and kindly brought me into the I.D.  "Hello...This is Bryan Ferry...And I'm here with Guy...on...SPACE...PIRATE...RADIO..."  I was gobsmacked.

 

And though he and I might differ on some political areas.  And foxhunting.  I still find my time well spent with this man of  Taste, Style and Distinction.

 

And there is that song, SAN SIMEON.

egg y nudu. "Eggstatic Interference."

"I think I should be on the radio."

"What?"

"You know, be on the radio.  A disc jockey.  Play cool music.  Say clever things."

"They wouldn't let you do it.  No one would hear you."

"Why?"

"Your broadcasts would be scrambled."

"It's Purrific!"

Orson the cat with his namesake, Baby Orson (juvenile actor Buddy Swan) from "Citizen Kane" (1941).

 

This photo originally posted on the Twit Hair thingee, the Conway Twitter in the Southern portions, the Herr Twitt for followers in Deutschland.  Cats and porn very popular (obvious joke there, will just walk away, Rene).

 

For biographical purposes, Orson the cat is one of four brothers born to look alike mom Glenda (named after Glenda Jackson) and two fathers (very similar to Charlotte Rampling's first marriage :)X ).  The known dads were named Malcolm (after Malcolm McDowell)  and Nico (oddly, after Nico).  The other brothers are Bowtie, also sarcastically but lovingly referred to as Raymond Purr; Pixie (so called because he and Bowtie looked alike as distant kittens and were identified as Pixie & Dixie), and Jazz, the literal black sheep of the family.  All were outdoor hobo kitties, till enticed to the indoor comforts of Casa Saint Francis the Talking Mule Sanctuary, except for Jazz, who remained feral and came home no more, sadly.

 

The Trio of Bros are still with us.  Inside and ironically outliving their collective parents.  The two fathers also had a sister that we named Kinski after Nastassja from "Cat People" (her brother being Malcolm).  But the family lived up to their name and sister Kinski was the only cat we felt would be better off living in a different locale.

 

So as you can see, I am living my golden years in a true cathouse.  Me and the little one have the habit of naming our critters after cult film stars or obscure artists.  We are at the "No Vacancy" point, but I wouldn't mind naming the next one Om Purri. 

 

Oh! CulCatta!

A Jester of Good Faith.

Musique avec fromage:  Morcheeseba.

 

Musique avec fromage:  George Thorogouda & The Destroyers.

 

Musique avec fromage:  KRAFTwerk.

 

Musique avec fromage:  Camembert Bacharach.

 

Musique avec fromage:  Cheddar and Jeremy.

 

Musique avec fromage:  Pharaoh Parmesanders.

 

Nicolas Roeg directs Star Wars:  Ewokabout.

 

Billy Wilder directs Star Wars:  Some Like It Hoth.

 

Haute couture porn:  Behind The Green Dior.

 

Haute couture porn:  Deep Tote.

 

Literary Rock Bands Today:  Anais Nin Inch Nails.

 

Literary Rock Bands Today:  The Plath Matics.

 

Existential Disco:  Sartre Day Night Fever.

 

Willy Wonka as Doctor Who.  Series written by Roald Dahlek.

 

Dalek Skin Cleanser:  "EXFOLIATE!"

 

The Cream of Sherlock Holmes, or Ginger Baker Street.

 

Stop Me If You've Heard This Joke Before:  A Jew, a Mexican and a Triple Speed Rug Shampoo Carpet Cleaning Machine go into this bar........

"Deutsch Nepal."

Walter Winchell, Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons and Herb Caen.  So who is the Fifth Columnist?

Heinrich Himmler's Favourite Breakfast:  Luftwaffles.

Heinrich Himmler's Favourite Restaurant:  The Night of Long Knives and Forks.

Heinrich Himmler's Favourite Gasoline:  Es Esso.

Heinrich Himmler's Favourite Musical Group:  The Guess Who Stoppo ("She's come unDunkirk").

Heinrich Himmler's Favourite Author:  Edgar Allan Gestapo.

Adolph Hitler's New Cold Sore Medicine:  Mein Kampf O-Phenique.

Desert Fox News now available on CD Rommel.

DJ Len Deighton's Playlist:  Emerson, Lake and Harry Palmer.

DJ John Le Carre's Playlist:  Tinker, James Taylor, Soldier, Spy.

DJ John Le Carre's Playlist:  The Taylor Dayne of Panama.

Painful medical condition, having a Heil Hatel Hernia.  Causes Axis Reflux.

Richard Boone's son and Orson Welles' daughter have a son.  A director named Luis Boone-Welles.

Benito und Jerzey's Cold War Ice Cream.  Served exclusively at Mussolini & Franco's Hollywood restaurant.

Myra Cardial:  Watch out.  She will steal your heart.

An early rumour that JFK's assassin was Bazooka Joe, and ONLY Bazooka Joe.  Thus began the Lone Gumman Theory.

Going to make a movie about finely ground tobacco which is inhaled.  Wonder what I should call it?

"...acting as an aerial, picking up the sound..."

Space Pirate Radio is 40 years old.  And we are celebrating the music.  The soundtrack to the madness and mental state of my little midi-minuit fantastique.  The wireless of the weird.  "That space music."

As discussed before, this odd new musik coming out of Britain and Europe, inspired by psychedelic rock from San Francisco, Eastern music, jazz, classical, sci-fi film soundtracks and cheesy lounge music...this mix of moods and enthusiasms motivated the birth of the show.  The Beatles and Pink Floyd had broken the rules, others were following.  Why wasn't the U.S. of A. tuned in?

This had to be changed. Freeform non-commercial FM radio was the hope for innovation.  But commercial radio had to be subverted.  AM radio would play the edited version of The Doors' "Light My Fire."  FM the full piece.  Plus "The End" and "When The Music's Over."

Longer cuts over the 2 minute single played on a turntable that was sped up, creating that Chipmunks quality so necessary for extra ad time.  Basta!  "We want our sounds, and we want it........NOW!"  :)

Pink Floyd's "Echoes" and/or "Atom Heart Mother."  The Beatles "Revolution #9."  Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll doing Donovan's "Season of the Witch."

So how about this new stuff?  Tangerine Dream's "Atem."  Amon Duul 2's "Yeti."  Ash Ra Tempel.  The Cosmic Jokers.  Popol Vuh.  Heldon.  Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.  Le Orme.  Can, for Goddess' sake!

George Harrison, liberally helping himself to others' music on "Wonderwall" and "Electronic Sounds."  Zappa's "Freak Out"?  Slide into Guru Guru's "UFO" or "Kanguru."  Early Kraftwerk, Kluster (with a K, followed by Cluster with a C ), and Klaus Schulze, the pre-Wagnerian dreamer.

And Mike Oldfield.  Because of Soft Machine and Kevin Ayers.  And Robert Wyatt.  And Daevid Allen.

Gong.  Caravan.  Hatfield and the North.  Egg.  National Health.  Canterbury or Oxford?  The English Magick...from Small Faces' "Ogden's Nut Gone Flakes" (one of my first import purchases, in the plastic snap case, with fold out and ciggie papers) to Manfred Mann with and without the Earth Band.

Kate Bush, Incredible String Band, Gentle Giant, Gryphon and Third Ear Band.  Curved Air and Darryl Way's Wolf.

France: Ange.  Mona Lisa.  Atoll.  And Magma!  Spain: Granada.  Triana.  Japan: Sadistic Mika Band.  Far East Family Band.

Alquin, Kayak and Earth & Fire from Holland.  Telex from Belgium.

********

I still have my hand written, improvised playlist from that first Space Pirate Radio show of Saturday night/Sunday morning January 27th, 1974.  (This was in essence an audition show, live and at full tilt bluff.  The midnight to six experiment fooled the teachers, and Sunday night/Monday morning, the Deadest of Airtimes, would become my grave robbing broadcast home.)

The show opened with Hawkwind's "Earth Calling" from the double live "Space Ritual" album.  Perhaps not the aesthetically best first choice (after all, Hawkwind permanently deafened my left ear at their Space 1999 show with Man in Los Angeles at the Embassy Concert Theatre), but its "We've landed Earthlings...Protect Your Women" tone seemed appropriate on a radio station accustomed to Jackson Browne.  :)   I was making an entrance.  And trance?

Entranced!   :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

                     :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)