© 2024 KMUW
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Birthday Celebrations For Keith Richards, Frank Zappa And Billy Bragg

Saturday, December 15

Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash is the 1981 debut album from The Replacements. The Minneapolis, Minnesota quartet had already garnered a reputation for breathtaking live shows while blending pop sensibilities with punk aggression. The record features several staples from the band’s career, including the observation on romance across class lines (“Customer”), teen angst (“Shiftless When Idle,” “I Hate Music”) and the outfit’s urban roots (“Raised in the City”). We’ll hear selections from that recording as well as music from former Replacement Tommy Stinson’s 2011 solo release, One Man Mutiny.

Monday, December 17

We celebrate the birthday of R.E.M’s Mike Mills with selections from his work with that group as well as appearances with The Baseball Project, Warren Zevon and Smashing Pumpkins. We’ll also mark the birthday of Bob Stinson, guitarist for the The Replacements, born on this day in 1959 and passing in 1995.

Tuesday, December 18

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards turns 75 on this day. We’ll mark the occasion with songs from his work with that band as well as some of his notable guest appearances as well as solo recordings such as Talk Is Cheap.

Wednesday, December 19

Released in 1997, Time Out Of Mind was hailed by many as Bob Dylan’s return to form. Collaborating with producer Daniel Lanois, Dylan recorded a number of darkly atmospheric songs including “Standing In The Doorway,” “Not Dark Yet” and “Cold Iron Bounds.” We’ll hear selections from this release as well as music from Paul McCartney’s Kisses on the Bottom, a collection of jazz and pop standards.  

Thursday, December 20

We celebrate the birthday of bassist Mike Watt with music from his work with Firehose and the Minutemen as well as from across his solo career. Plus more birthday music from Billy Bragg and Mike Keneally.

Friday, December 21

We mark the birthday of Frank Zappa with selections from some of his favorite performers, including Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Johnny “Guitar” Watson and more. We'll also celebrate the first day of winter with selections from Freedy Johnston, Joni Mitchell and more. 

Saturday, December 22

Musician Richey Edwards was born on this day in 1967. He gained notoriety as a member of the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers in the 1990s. His playing prompted one colleague to comment that Edwards “couldn’t play guitar in the way that a blind man can’t see.” He disappeared in February 1995 just as he was to leave for a promotional tour of the United States and declared “presumed dead” in 2008. We’ll hear selections from his work with Manic Street Preachers and hear selections from his contemporaries in bands such as Pulp and Blur.

Monday, December 24

 Listen to holiday music from Sufjan Stevens, Lyle Lovett, U2 and more.

Tuesday, December 25

We have more holiday music, this time from Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon and Adrian Belew.

Wednesday, December 26

Released in 2005, Paul McCartney’s Chaos and Creation In The Backyard marked his first release in roughly 20 years that did not carry a production credit from him. Instead, he turned to longtime Radiohead and Beck collaborator Nigel Godrich. Much of the album features McCartney on all instruments and is considered one of his best recordings in the 2000s. Listen for music from that release as well as selections from Bob Dylan’s 1992 release, Good as I Been To You.

Thursday, December 27

 Listen for music from Paul McCartney’s 2013 album, NEW as well as selections from Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline.

Friday, December 28

We hear some covers of classic Paul McCartney compositions as well as some of the former Beatles’ most notable appearances with other artists.

Saturday, December 29

Released in 1980, McCartney II wasn’t only Paul McCartney’s second solo effort, it was also his first solo record in a decade, issued roughly one year before the end of his band Wings. We’ll hear music from this recording as well as selections from Bob Dylan’s Oh Mercy.

Monday, December 31

We mark the birthday of Replacements co-founder Paul Westerberg, born 1959 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We’ll hear his work with that band, from his solo output and covers of several of his best-known songs. Plus music from Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan.

Jedd Beaudoin is host/producer of the nationally syndicated program Strange Currency. He has also served as an arts reporter, a producer of A Musical Life and a founding member of the KMUW Movie Club. As a music journalist, his work has appeared in Pop Matters, Vox, No Depression and Keyboard Magazine.