I had an entirely different show planned when I got the question stuck in my head: What was the first New Wave song? New Wave was a descendant of punk and post-punk, so it couldn’t have come before “New Rose” by the Damned. But “X-Offender” by Blondie predates that! These are the questions I ask…

The obscure and the forgotten, unearthed for your listening pleasure. This week we’ve got Greek post-punk, Nigerian disco-funk, Canadian new wave-reggae and other hyphenated genres that I’d probably have to make up. Songs Played Parade Ground “Moans” [Dual Perspectives] 1987 Mandrill “Mandrill” [Mandrill] 1974 Cleveland Robinson, Jr. “Love Is A Trap” [b/w A Loaf Of…

It’s time for something that hasn’t happened since March– I returned to the airwaves LIVE! Get ready for technical mishaps, weird music, awkward pauses and the good stuff only live radio can treat you to. And if you can, please become a member of Freeform Portland to help support independent radio! Songs Played Mike Mareen…

As I made a Best of 2019 mix, may as well as make a Best of 2020. Featuring some of my favorite songs I played this year, this is also a reminder that if you can spare it, please make a tax-deductible donation to help keep radio independence alive at https://www.freeformportland.org Songs Played Goom “Good…

It’s time for another weekend challenge! These are always very fun and a great time to listen, especially during our WINTER FUNDRAISER (hint hint). This time the theme is Future Fun, and let me tell you, I can’t wait to be able to go outside and hug my friends and share a drink or a…

I very rarely replay songs (or artists for that matter) on my show, but sometimes the songs are so good I want to hear them again. For our current winter fundraiser, I decided to present an hour of the absolute best songs I played in 2019, the ones that got under my skin and into…

Times are tough– we are all separated by physical and psychic distance. We will persevere, though, with the power of community. If music is important to you to help keep yourself sane and positive, well, you’re not alone.  This thing called Freeform Portland is completely built from the ground up on collaboration and cooperation, where…

Lost songs, forgotten songs, songs that were never given a chance.  Come explore the forgotten treasures of funk, post-punk, lounge, soul, new wave and more! Songs Played The Fame Gang “Twangin’ My Thang” [b/w Turn My Chicken] Mark Thor “Holiday Fire” [b/w Marc Thor & The Boize “Boystown Boize”] The Peddlers “Tell The World We’re…

Nick Lowe can’t make a bad song no matter how hard he tries (and he tries hard here), a forerunner of rap music from 1946 (seriously) and a lounge version of “I’ve Got the Music In Me” where the singer is either drunk or high or…something…and give a performance you kind of need to hear…

We start digging at the bottom of the rabbit hole.  This week features a 1968 self released psychedelic pop album by a drag queen, a sort of DIY Kate Bush-like obscurity named Rebecca and a child singing a country song asking his mommy to stop being a stripper– and that’s just the beginning.  Dig deep,…