As themes go this is a rich vein to tap. But the intention as always isn’t just to find a load of television theme tunes and slap them together in a nostalgic mass and call it done (otherwise I’d just play the theme tune from Cheers on loop for an hour) - it’s the usual case of looking at this huge array of incredible music that I love and trying to work out what characteristics they have that allow them to be grouped together in a particular way. If there’s a chance to be a little obtuse that’s great but I’m not above whacking in a piece of theme music if it’s the right choice for the podcast - see: theme from ‘Stranger Things’ as exhibit A.
Where it gets interesting for me is when a relatively arbitrary collection of music starts to tell its own story. Or when musical threads (read: characteristics) start to reveal themselves as elements that reoccur throughout the episodes. A number of examples in this episode speak to previous threads: the aquatic sounds of ‘Robinson Crusoe’ or the lo-fi tape hiss drenched sounds of ‘Art Vandelay’. And there’s also a strong dose of humour in this episode. That is something that crops up time and time again, completely of its own volition, and will be the subject of its own episode in the nearish future.
As mentioned in the episode itself, there’s a bit less intra-episode chat from me this time around. And this is simply because whilst pulling it all together musically I really couldn’t find an appropriate moment to recap the tracklisting in the second half of the episode. I felt that it wouldn’t be in the interests of the music being played to start chatting and so, simply, I chose not to. The music is the star here, always has been. And so in this case, I very much felt that less was more.
This is the last themed episode of 2018. There are two instalments left in this calendar year: 13th and 27th December, and the plan is for these to be sort of Music of 2018 affairs. There’s time for that to change, of course, but that’s the loose plan as I sit here today.
Hope you dig it.
Cheers,
R
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Tracklisting w/ links to purchase, if I can find them (these are directly related to the artists where possible but not always). Also, I take no responsibility for the links. Just trying to help…
Thundercat – For Love (I Come Your Friend) taken from The Golden Age Of Apocalypse [Brainfeeder] (2011) https://bleep.com/release/31297-thundercat-the-golden-age-of-apocalypse
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Johnny Appleseed taken from Global A Go-Go [Hellcat Records] (2001) https://www.joestrummer.com/digital/joe-strummer-001
Revolutionaries – Kunta Kinte Version One taken from Drum Sound: More Gems From The Channel One Dub Room – 1974 to 1980 [Pressure Sounds] (2007) https://pressuresounds.bandcamp.com/album/drum-sound
Tedd Patterson presents Blackbone - Roots (Blak Beat Niks Tribal Rhythms Mix) [Black Vinyl Records] (2000) https://www.junodownload.com/products/blackbone-tedd-roots-tedd-patterson-presents-blackbone/3323882-02/
Eddie ‘Flashin’ Fowlkes – Soul Train [Paper Recordings] (1998)
Art Of Noise – Robinson Crusoe taken from The Ambient Collection (1990) https://www.junodownload.com/products/the-ambient-collection/2818853-02/?track_number=11
Ducktails – Art Vandelay taken from III: Arcade Dynamics [Woodsist] (2011) https://ducktails.bandcamp.com/album/ducktails-iii-arcade-dynamics
Arrested Development – People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix) (1992) https://www.junodownload.com/products/arrested-development-extended-revolution/1701326-02/?track_number=2
Michael Cole & Michael Jessett – Plasticine taken from Fingerbobs [Trunk Records] (2011) https://bleep.com/release/38329-michael-cole-and-michael-jessett-with-rick-jones-fingerbobs
Sleaford Mods – Tiswas [Invada] (2014) https://invada.bandcamp.com/album/tiswas-ep
Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein – Stranger Things [Lakeshore Records] (2016) https://kyledixon-michaelstein.bandcamp.com/track/stranger-things
Olav Brekke Mathisen – Hasj Box taken from N*A*O*M*B [Discfunction] (2003) https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=194953&ev=mb
Matt Berry – Take My Hand taken from Witchazel [Acid Jazz] (2011) https://acidjazz.bandcamp.com/album/matt-berry-witchazel
Matt Berry – Thames Television taken from Television Themes [Acid Jazz] (2018) https://acidjazz.bandcamp.com/album/television-themes
FPU – Crockett’s Theme (FPU Original Mix) [Turbo] (2002) https://fpumusic.bandcamp.com/track/crocketts-theme
Luciano Michelini – Frolic (1974) https://www.7digital.com/artist/luciano-michelini/release/frolic-theme-from-curb-your-enthusiasm-tv-show-single-5596519
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Spotify episode playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/rosscale/playlist/6SJ6FHI3N2AVqPD2v3Pmfb?si=UIdNR9ezSIer3dRcB2lThw
Threadwork is presented by Ross Cale.
Huge thanks to Bod for production support.
Huge thanks to Bettina Langlois for the Threadwork soft sculptures. Check out some of her other work here: https://www.instagram.com/bettenoire93/
https://www.instagram.com/rosscale_threadwork/
Twitter: @rosscale
https://www.acast.com/threadwork
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/threadwork/id1365731024?mt=2
https://open.spotify.com/show/1EohT1bTEcHMbtvxu9G6yj?si=slasCkMqSFm-2hFgBGYGZQ