Digitizing Dimensions : Installment #1: WDET DIMENSIONS 9/22/1991
This installment of Digitizing Dimension we hear from bands The MC5, Grapes of Wrath, Blur and Television and many others.
And so it begins. The first installment of the “Digitizing Dimensions” series. This was the first tape I digitized and it just so happened, as luck would have it, to be an episode of the “The Dimensions” Program on WDET. As I had mentioned in my earlier posting, I’ll get more into detail later about the impact this show had on me in terms of music. But each of these installments will focus solely on the content that is provided by the respective show host of that tape.
First, considering that the hosts were “Caught off guard by the sudden passing of the MC5 Rob Tyner”, we can assume that this show was the Sunday that immediately proceeded that sad event. Which would make September 22nd, 1991. I was about to turn 18 two days later. About to be old enough to vote, buy cigarettes and legally buy alcoholic drinks on International waters. This would play a big part come the Senior Cruise later that Spring.
rest in peace - rob tyner of the mc5
December 12, 1944 – September 18, 1991
Kind of fitting that the first show I would archive, would be dedicated to the front man of the iconic Detroit band the MC5. If you don’t know who they are, I would highly recommend you stop reading this now and queue them up on Spotify and KICK OUT THE JAMS MUTHAF*CKERS! They (along with Detroit’s other rebellious son Iggy Pop) are commonly referred to as the start of punk music. I didn’t realize their importance when I had first heard them back in 1991. I’d later get a copy of the album myself by finding it, along with other albums, thrown in the trash of a the community trash bin in the condo associations I was living in shortly after I graduated from college.
Along with this MC5 classic some, other songs that tickled the synapses that sparked nostalgia are the following:
Single Gun Theory - From a Million Miles
I had 100% forgotten about this song. Considering my love for bands such as the Happy Mondays and Ultravivid Scene it amazes me that this band / song / album didn’t carry over to my adult years. Had it not been for this exercise to digitize my tapes it would have been lost to me. Luckily, its now going to be safely included on my “Dimensions” playlist on Spotify.
Fred Gianelli - Mr. Denny
This is another song that I love and had completely forgot about. (So happy I took on this exercise!) Fred Giannelli would later join Psychic TV, work with Ritchie Hawtin under the alias “Spawn” as well as join the Plus 8 label as The Kookie Scientist. I highlight this song and artist because I have to give credit to Martin and Ralph to have the foresight to identify and share this artist in 1991. Although this song is far from Techno, its an early example of wonderful electronic music and is masterfully produced.
Television - Little Johnny Jewel
Kudos to my older siblings introducing me to so much music that wasn’t being played on the radio. The parents would leave with strict instruction to “Straighten up the house”. Once that door would close and my parents vanished to another trip to Joanne Fabrics (poor dad) the first act of business would usually mean turning off Saturday morning tv (much to my chagrin) and my oldest brother putting on an 8 track tape, Cassette tape or CD to be the soundtrack to set the pace for dusting, vacuuming and washing. I’d hear Pat Methany, Manhattan Transfer, Prince, Michael Franks and hopefully Art of Noise, Kraftwerk, Parliament Funkadelic or anything with the electronic noises that a 10 year old me lived for. (Luckily we were a Beatles family which meant that most of the time we were doing chores to the Fab Four.)
But without The Dimensions program I would NEVER had heard anything like Television. As I listen to it today I can hear where Black Francis of the Pixies get some treatments for how he would deliver the lyrics of some of his songs like “I’ve been tired”. Any band that influenced the Pixies is good with me. I’m really looking forward to seeing them on May 4th of this year.
Provided to YouTube by Parlophone UK Inertia (2012 Remaster) · Blur Leisure ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company.
Blur - Inertia
Considering how much in the years that would follow that night I heard this show in 1991, I’d love to go back and see my initial reaction to this song and if I appreciated this song as much as I do now. I absolutely adore this song now. Considering how much I loved Janes Addiction’s “Summertime Rolls” just a year earlier, I’d have to assume that I could find a 17 year old me sitting on the end of my bed, eyes closed, head circling while simultaneous rocking back and forth to the melody and possibly my bass guitar in my hands trying to recreate that hypnotic backing.
Truth be told, I was surprised to hear Blur on this tape as I really didn’t get into Brit Pop until the late 90’s. I definitely didn’t know there was a genre called “Brit Pop”, I just knew at that moment that I trusted Martin and Ralph and this was a good song. I hadn’t realized that I had heard Blur this early on in my life. If anything I probably thought they were some local band like Majesty Crush (who had a similar sound).
I shouldn’t be so hard on 17 year old self as I forget that at this point in time, it wasn’t like I could jump online and learn more about this band and ingest all that I could today. I guess I’m a little dissapointed I didn’t take this song, that night, and run with it. But it wasn’t like I had the money to go out and invest in something like this. At that time, the money I was making at Grosse Isle Golf and Country club either as an assistant Locker room attendant or caddy was going towards Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Pixies or Smashing Pumpkins. It wouldn’t be until later in college that I would get deeper into Brit Pop as bands like Oasis, Radiohead and Pulp got radioplay in the mid-90s.
But man, I’m glad I found out about them when I did… just that I love and appreciate them so much I feel as though I lost 6 years from the day I heard this in 1991 until the day “The Bends” would change my life shortly after I graduated from college.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group I Am Here (7" Edit) · The Grapes Of Wrath Seems Like Fate (1984-1992) ℗ 1991 EMI Music Canada
The Grapes of Wrath - I am Here
The Grapes of who? I keeeeed. The Grapes of Wrath. Another great group that is quintessentially early 90s alternative music. They, along with Jesus Jones, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, and Kitchens of Distinction would produce some great music that just wouldn’t be as timeless as the Pixies, Nirvana or Blur. It had a distinct sound that would probably set the stage for bands like Lush, Curve, The Charlatans (UK) and My Bloody Valentine.
Still a very very good song and now that I’m reminded of them, I’ll look to get more familiar with their catalogue.
MC5 - Looking at You
Doesn’t get much more Detroit than this. Seriously.
MC5
In their Prime
On Tartar field on Wayne State’s Campus…
IN DETROIT
This could be released today and it’d be amazing.
Tape CATALOGUE
On Google Sheets
Below is the list of songs for this episode:
Side A: WDET_Dimension_Sept21_1991 A.MP3
0:00 Sister Ann / MC-5
7:35 Break the Spell / Eleven
9:49 Give It Away / Red Hot Chili Peppers
14:28 Little Johnny Jewel / Television
21:33 The Sixty-Two / Tom Verlane (Guitarist from Televsion)
25:19:00 Host Dialogue / Host Dialogue
30:23:00 Closest to my heart / Single Gun Theory
30:55:00 From a Million Miles / Single Gun Theory
35:10:00 Mr. Denny / Fred Giannelli
40:58:00 Anarchy In the UK / Frazier Chorus
48:50:00 Host Dialogue
49:25:00 Head Held High / The Velvet Underground
Side B: WDET_Dimension_Sept21_1991 B.MP3
Host Dialogue - Movie Reviews
11:26 Year in Song / Mary Margaret O'Hara (Sister of Catherine O’Hara of SCTV and “Home Alone” fame)
14:48 Are We Still Married? / His Name is Alive
17:50 Gush forth my tears / Miranda Sex Garden
20:25 Inertia / Blur
24:07:00 I am Here / The Grapes of Wrath
30:37:00 Host Dialogue - Recap
34:29:00 To The Lions / Lloyd Cole
37:03:00 Channel #5 / American Music Club
41:21:00 White Jam / Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band
44:12:00 Looking At You / MC5
Digitized Tape Location:
Side A: WDET_Dimension_Sept21_1991 A.MP3
Side B: WDET_Dimension_Sept21_1991 B.MP3
Youtube Playlist for this installment:
Spotify Playlist for Digitizing Dimensions Series:
This blog entry is dedicated to the memory of my Rob Tyner. Rest in Peace and I hope you’re kicking out the jams in a better place.