56. revolution

“Because I couldn’t really justify forcing the Beatles Revolution onto this list, and anyway this latter day Revolution (care of The Spacemen 3) pays it fierce and eviscerating and ultimately beautiful homage, all flesh eating distortion and simple message. Just five seconds. That’s all it would take for all the fucked up children of this world to rise up and tear everything down. The weird part is, I was in Britain when this was new. I even saw the t-shirts. But I didn’t get around to hearing any of it for at least a year, by which point grunge was breaking (or about to anyway), which is really what was going on here. Grunge before they had the marketing figured out. A punk rock that wasn’t in a hurry. And I mean that in the best possible way. Because once marketing got involved, it was game over for everybody but the unit-shifters.” (Philip Random)

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013. The Final Countdown*

Installment #13. of The Final Countdown aired Saturday-June-23-2018 (c/o CiTR.FM.101.9).

Tracks available on this Youtube playlist (somewhat inaccurate).

The Final Countdown* is Randophonic’s longest and, if we’re doing it right, most relevant countdown yet – the end of result of a long process that’s still evolving such is the strangely existential nature of the project question: the 1297 Greatest Records of All Time right now right here. Whatever that means. What it means is over a year of radio, if all goes to plan, and when has that ever happened?

TFC-013

Installment #13 of The Final Countdown* went like this.

1051. Calexico – quattro [world drifts in]
1050. Guru Guru – woman drum
1049. Donovan – Clara Clairvoyant
1048. Toots + Maytals – peace perfect peace
1047. Albert Kuvezin & Yat-Kha – love will tear us apart
1046. Spinners – I’ll be around
1045. Lightnin’ Hopkins – the walkin’ blues
1044. Jethro Tull – witch’s promise
1043. Genesis – grand parade of lifeless packaging
1042. Cure – caterpillar
1041. Lorna Bennett – breakfast in bed
1040. Van Morrison – bright side of the road [alt]
1039. JJ Cale – Clyde
1038. Man – jam up jelly tight
1037. Les Baxter – sunken city
1036. Suns of Arqa – city of nine gates
1035. zero hg7 – cameraday
1034. John Foxx – metal beat
1033. Ultramarine – Kingdom
1032. Spacemen 3 – Big City [long mix]

Randophonic airs pretty much every Saturday night, starting 11 pm (Pacific time) c/o CiTR.FM.101.9, with streaming and/or download options usually available within twenty-four hours via our Facebook page.

 

482. big city

“The 12-inch single version of Big City is the one for me, Spacemen 3 locking things into extended and ethereal trance mode for many long and hypnotic minutes. A driving song, I figure, ideal for being alone in a great big city. Nothing to do but cruise your solitude, bright lights, lots of shadow.” (Philip Random)

Spacemen3-1991-promo

579. when tomorrow hits

By the time When Tomorrow Hits hit, Spacemen 3 had already broken up for all the regular reasons that drug addled, pioneering psychedelic outfits break up, and then some. A cover of a Mudhoney original, it was supposed to be part of a double-A split single which would also feature Mudhoney’s version of Spacemen 3’s Revolution, but for whatever hazy reason, that didn’t happen. What does happen is Spacemen 3’s equal parts smoother and sharper take on When Tomorrow Hits, particularly that part when it hits!

843. Walkin’ with Jesus

“In which the Spacemen 3 sing the somnambulant praises of being so f***ing high, you may as well be hanging with God’s own son. Found on their first album and a bunch of other places, it’s rumoured to be completely concerned with heroin. But don’t be fooled, kids. Heroin’s a liar. Ain’t no heaven on earth.” (Philip Random)

spacemen3-1987