Revolution 21’s Blog for the People

Entries categorized as ‘Big Show’

Le Revolution 21 podcast n’existe plus

January 5, 2008 · No Comments


The Revolution 21 podcast is toast. Done dealin’. Finished. Gone. Gesphincto.

Adios, au revoir, auf wiederhesen . . . good night!

The reason there’s no new edition of the Big Show posted tonight is because there’s no Big Show no mo’. Sorry about that. But the show could not go on.

AFTER ALL, what do you think of when you hear about the “Revolution 21 podcast”? You picture some disheveled crank spewing revolutionary rhetoric into a microphone plugged into his computer in some odd corner of his house. Or, alternatively, getting suspicious looks from the other patrons at Starbucks.

Well . . . I’m here to tell you that it’s time for me to nip that pretty much spot-on conception you have of me and the podcast right in the bud. So I’m killing that sucker dead. Bang! (Thud.)

The Big Show needed to transcend podcastery. And it couldn’t. It couldn’t even draw a fraction of the audience of a podcast that consists of nothing but scratchy-ass old LPs . . . period. And in that case, why try harder?

Not for a friggin’ podcast, that’s for damn certain.

Goodbye.

WELL, THAT FELT REALLY GOOD . . . in a spiteful, embittered sort of way.

But you’re not rid of your Mighty Favog that flippin’ easily. He’s not that bright . . . or in touch with sheer practicality. Actually, he’s more in touch with his inner Don Quixote.

And that’s why, though the Revolution 21 podcast is deader than a doornail (or than the Geneva Conventions are to the Bush Administration), the Big Show is just morphing into something else pretty damned similar.

Something that doesn’t call itself a “podcast.” And is a little bit longer. And has a snappier name. And has a weekly companion program that’s just the right length for checking out during your morning commute or lunch break. Or whenever.

But they’re not podcasts. They’re the future of radio . . . at least a future where radio doesn’t suck. Kind of like public radio, but without the anthropology lecture by the professor wearing one black shoe and one brown shoe, and this annoying damn blob of two-hour-old oatmeal on his beard which, fortunately, you can’t see because it’s radio.

SO . . . NEXT WEEK, stay tuned for Revolution 21’s new long-form program, 3 Chords & the Truth, and its really brand-new, bite-sized Four Songs (which is exactly what the name tells you).

They’ll be right here, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel.

Categories: 3 Chords and the Truth · Big Show · Revolution 21 · blog stuff · housekeeping · podcast

Gathering cobwebs

December 27, 2007 · No Comments


Just checking in long enough to enunciate the obvious . . . that posting is light this week. The world might have taken down the Christmas tree and gone back to work and put away the holiday feast like that really ugly-ass tie you got from Aunt Hortense, but we haven’t.

Because Christmas is 12 days long, you know. And Mrs. Favog has the week off.

Also, the next couple of days partially will be spent attending a wake and a funeral. And hugging old friends because I still can, you know?

Sooooooo . . . put another nickel in the Revolution 21 jukebox and listen to the Christmas show one more time this week for New Year’s. Epiphany’s a ways off yet.

Categories: Big Show · Revolution 21 · blog stuff · housekeeping · podcast

The Big Show’s Xmas song list

December 23, 2007 · No Comments

Here’s the lineup for this year’s Christmas extravaganza on the Revolution 21 podcast.

The holidays: They’re, uh, different here. Enjoy.

Bing Crosby & Judy Garland
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1950 radio program

Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters
Jingle Bells
1943

Bing Crosby
Adeste Fideles
1942

Aaron Neville
O Holy Night
1993

Alison Moyet
The Coventry Carol
1987

Campbell Brothers
Silent Night
2001

Dodie Stevens
Merry Merry Christmas Baby
1959

Lou Rawls
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
1957

Elvis Presley
Blue Christmas
1957

Joss Stone
All I Want for Christmas
2007

U2
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
1989

Stan Freberg
Christmas Dragnet
1953

Jackson 5
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
1970

Bruce Springsteen
Merry Christmas Baby
1986

Ohio Players
Happy Holidays Pt. 1
1975

Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions
Amen
1964

Harry Connick, Jr.
I Pray on Christmas
1993

Joan Baez
Oh Happy Day
1976

John Lennon
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
1971

Robert Earl Keen
Merry Christmas From the Family
1994

Categories: Big Show · Christmas · Revolution 21 · church music · housekeeping · podcast

Merry Christmas. Here’s the show.

December 22, 2007 · No Comments

Here’s the Christmas 2007 episode of the Revolution 21 podcast. Just when you think you know where this show is going, it’s going to humble you bad.

Just my Christmas gift to you. Tee hee hee!

IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, a blessed Christmas season to you all . . . may your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.

Thanks, Mr. Berlin.

Oh, and here’s something to hold close this Christmas. It’s probably the most beautiful and profound carol ever written — O Holy Night by Adolphe Adam, to the French poem, Minuit, chrétiens by Placide Cappeau:

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angels’ voices!
Oh night divine, Oh night when Christ was born;
Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh night Divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Behold your King.

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Categories: Big Show · Christmas · Revolution 21 · church music · housekeeping · podcast

Blogger stinks . . . oh yeah, here’s the show

December 15, 2007 · No Comments

We’ve been preoccupied with Blogger’s suddenly not seeing fit to let folks design their blogs the way they like, so the show didn’t exactly get posted. Until now.

Still preoccupied. Show . . . oh, yeah . . . psychedelic stuff to start, an eclectic set in there.
Commodores. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Punk punk punk. Tractor punk from Omaha, Sit-on-This-Here-John Deere-and-Spin, Yuppie Boy, Nebraska.

Stuff like that. Yeah. Listen or else.

I’m outta here.

Whatever.

Categories: Big Show · Blogger · Revolution 21 · housekeeping · music · podcast

Oh, the music you’ll hear!

December 8, 2007 · No Comments

In order, here’s the musical lineup from the Big Show for Christmas 2006, which we’re repeating this week as an extra, added yuletide program for 2007. Because we’re ornery that way:

Blind Boys of Alabama
In the Bleak Midwinter (w/ Chrissie Hynde & Richard Thompson)
2003

Bing Crosby
White Christmas
1947

Elvis Presley
Santa Bring My Baby Back (to Me)
1957

Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Back in Town
1957


Bing Crosby
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
1943

Bing Crosby
Adeste Fideles
1942

Bing Crosby and David Bowie
Peace On Earth; The Little Drummer Boy
1977

Heidi Joy
Do You Hear What I Hear?
2000

Carla Thomas
Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas
1963

Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Baby
1968

Ray Charles
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
(w/ Stefanie Minatee and the Voices of Jubilation)
2004

Ray Charles
Silent Night
2004

Nat “King” Cole
The Christmas Song
1946

Harry Connick, Jr.
When My Heart Finds Christmas
1993

Brian Wilson
Joy to the World
2005

Bruce Springsteen
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town

(Live at Winterland 1978)
1978

Jackson 5
Someday at Christmas
1970

Aaron Neville
Please Come Home for Christmas
1993

Leroy Anderson
Sleigh Ride
1951

Platters
Winter Wonderland
1963

Santo & Johnny
Twistin’ Bells
1959

Elvis Presley
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
1957

Categories: Big Show · Christmas · Revolution 21 · housekeeping · music · podcast · tragedy

We cure ignorance.

November 10, 2007 · No Comments

The folks behind the Omaha City Weekly’s media blog act like they don’t know “tractor punk” from squat. What up with that?

DIDN’T THEY SEE the story on Speed! Nebraska Records last summer in Omaha’s other alternative newsweekly? Yeah, this story.

Oh, well . . . it was our pleasure to set the media bloggers straight about tractor punk. The City Weekly folks would have known all about it, however, if they’d just been reading Revolution 21’s Blog for the People and listening to the Revolution 21 podcast all along.

It’s just the sensible thing.

You want to hear The Monroes, you say? Check out the Oct. 19 edition of the Big Show and you will . . . you will.

The Revolution 21 podcast: Don’t leave home without it. Or stay home without it, either.

Categories: Big Show · Omaha · Revolution 21 · housekeeping · media · music · podcast · punk