Last year's "heartache" approach to curating a Valentine's Day mixtape was, at the time, very fitting and just felt right. But living in today's world, as civilization attempts to heal following nearly a full year of collective misery, we thought we'd switch it up. Episode 13 of Lightnin' Licks Radio will focus on the emotion at its purest. most utterly exhilarating, innocent and naive...teenage love.  Remember way-back-when, when you're helplessly smitten, lost, and locked under a spell by a certain somebody who is so sickeningly special? Yeah, that's what we mean. Join Jay and Deon as they attempt to serenade Podcast America with a suite full of the sweetest, stickiest, sappiest sonic expressions they could dig out of their collections. These are just some of the love songs we love. We hope you'll love them too. Ooooohhhhhhh baby.

TEENAGE LOVE STORY ALL-VINYL MIXTAPE

[SIDE A] (1) Bobby Caldwell - Open Your Eyes (2) The Rubinoos - Falling In Love (3) Courtney Love - The 2nd Most Beautiful Girl In The World (4) XTC - Rocket From A Bottle (5) Lushus Daim & The Pretty Vain - The One You Love [SIDE B] (1) Donnie & Joe Emerson - Baby (2) Book Of Love - You Make Me Feel So Good (3) Bobby Womack - That's The Way I Feel About 'Cha (4) Marshall Crenshaw - Whenever You're On My Mind (5) Gram Parsons - She [END]

Recorded 02/06/21 Released 02/12/21

[SIDE ONE] (1) Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger - This Woman’s Work (2) Winter - Say (3) Quelle Chris and Chris Keys - Sacred Safe (4) Destroyer - Cue Synthesizer (5) Pearl Jam  - Dance of the Clairvoyants (6) Fontaines DC - Televised Mind (7) Death Valley Girls - Little Things (8) Sault - Miracles/Free {edit} (9) Haim - All That Ever Mattered (10) Chicano Batman -  Wounds [SIDE TWO] (1) X - I Gotta Fever (2) Hinds - Just Like Kids (3) Fiona Apple - I Want You To Love Me (4) Guided By Voices - Show of Hands (5) Phoebe Bridgers - Moon Song (6) Maita - Cant Blame A Kid (7) Lord Finesse - I Like It {Soul Synopsis Mix} *DeBarge* (8) Party Nails - Fuckboi (9) the Microphones - Microphones in 2020 {edit} (10) Beach Bunny - Cuffing Season (11) Rose City Band - Empty Bottles

What a year, right? 2020 proved to be the year the world broke, no question about that. However, great records were produced and must be analyzed, recognized, and celebrated. Exactly what were the top album releases in this year of despair? Jay and Deon each discuss their choices for top eleven (like Spinal Tap, they always take it to 11) albums of the yiz-ear in episode 12 of Lightnin’ Licks Radio, the annual Year In Review sonic sextravaganza. Music geeks UNITE…it’s another “best of” list to piss and moan about. Rock and rolla smoke a bowla.

JAY'S TOP ELEVEN:  #11  Beach Bunny - Honeymoon  #10  Guided By Voices - Mirrored Aztec  #9  Maita - Best Wishes  #8  Death Valley Girls - Under The Spell Of Joy  #7  Destroyer - Have We Met  #6  Winter - Endless Space (Between You And I)  #5  Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death  #4  X - Alphabet Land  #3  Hinds - The Prettiest Curse  #2  Party Nails - You Don't Have To Go Home But You Can't Stay Here  #1  Haim - Women In Music PT III

DEON'S TOP ELEVEN:  #11  Pearl Jam - Gigaton  #10  Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters  #9  Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher  #8  Rose City Band - Summerlong  #7  Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger - Force Majuere  #6  Lord Finesse - Motown State Of Mind  #5  SAULT - UNTITLED (Rise)  #4  the Microphones - Microphones In 2020  #3  Chicano Batman - Invisible People  #2  SAULT - UNTITLED (Black Is)  #1  Quelle Chris & Chris Keys - Innocent Country 2

A supplemental episode (12.5) containing the complete all-vinyl* 2020 Year-In-Review mixtape is also available on select platforms.

ADDITIONAL SONIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO EPISODE TWELVE OF LIGHTNIN' LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Holland Dozier Holland / Brothers Johnson / L.L. Cool J / Wu-Tang Clan / Nexus / U2 / Joe Esposito / Marley Marl / Beastie Boys / Rick Rubin / Mother Love Bone / Pearl Jam / Beach Bunny / Fiona Apple / Donald J. Trump / Guided By Voices / Phoebe Bridgers / Better Oblivion Community Center / The Beatles / Maita / Rose City Band / Death Valley Girls / L.A. Witch / Habibi / Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger / Kate Bush / Maxwell / Destroyer / Al Stewart / Lord Finesse / Michael Jackson / DeBarge / Winter / My Bloody Valentine / SAULT / Fontaines D.C. / The Microphones / Mount Erie / Red House Painters / Ebtu / X / The Pixies / Chicano Batman / Hines / Party Nails / Madonna / Blaksmith / MF Doom / Madlib / Quelle Chris & Chris Keyes / Haim / De La Soul / Prince Paul / The Clockers. 

RECORDED REMOTELY 01/01/2021

COVER ART BY: BRYAN KONIECZKA

*well…it’s not ALL all-vinyl. There’s one specific choice cut sourced elsewhere. Deal with it.

CONCERT MEMORIES!

Jay and Deon find themselves in another long distance podcasting scenario due to further pandemic-related restrictions. 2020 has certainly been a challenging year for music fanatics, especially for that rare breed of SUPER fan that only exists to attend concert events. To honor said legion of dedicated music enthusiasts who have been kept from witnessing their favorite artists rock out on stage over the past several months, Jay and Deon discuss some of their all-time favorite rock show memories. As always, an all-vinyl mixtape is produced, each cut inspired by a specific concert memory. From Rush in '78 to rapping on the streets of Detroit twenty years later, the Lickers bring an eclectic slice of nostalgia pie to the sonic air hockey table in episode 11. Mmmmmm-mmmm. FAIR WARNING:  It's a long one, but brevity be damned...they've got stories to tell. This holiday season, feel free to be indulgent and enjoy a very special supersized offering of Lightnin' Licks Radio. It's guaranteed to fill you up, even if goes straight to your hips.

ROCK SHOW MIXTAPE

[SIDE A] (1) Far - Mother Mary (2) RUSH - A Farewell To Kings (3) Black Moon - Who Got Da Props? (4) The Hold Steady - I Hope This Thing Didn't Frighten You (5) Jerry Garcia - Love Scene [SIDE B] (1) U2 - Bullet The Blue Sky  (2) Phish - Waste (3) The Replacements - Unsatisfied (4) Camp Lo - Luchini (This Is It) (5) Guided By Voices - Touching

ADDITIONAL SONIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO EPISODE ELEVEN OF LIGHTNIN' LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Holland Dozier Holland / Brothers Johnson / James Todd Smith / Jackson Browne / Yo La Tengo / The Clash / Labi Siffre / Boot Camp Clik / Beat Minerz / Heltah Skeltah / Black Moon / Eminem / Ronnie Laws / RUSH / The Pat Travers Band / Neil Diamond / Pantera / Black Sabbath / The Sex Pistols / The Pop Will Eat Itself / Deftones / Eric B. / Secret Handshake / Ouch / bev.clone / System Of A Down / Far / Incubus / Dynasty / U2 / The Pretenders / The Smiths / The Dust Brothers / Beastie Boys / DEVO / Lenny Kravitz / Phish / The Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia / War On Drugs / Yard Waste / Rage Against The Machine featuring Wu-Tang Clan / The Replacements / Guided By Voices / N.W.A. / R.E.M. / Lucera / The Hold Steady / Height Keech / B.O.O.G.I.E. Monsters / KRS One / Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth / The Clockers.

Guest Licker Shannon Proctor reads the credits.

RECORDED REMOTELY 11-28-2020 RELEASED 12-05-2020 COVER ART: BRYAN KONIECZKA  EPISODE ART:  M.M. KNAPPS

For Geary.

PART ONE OF TWO

Jay and Deon find themselves in another long distance podcasting scenario due to further pandemic-related restrictions. 2020 has certainly been a challenging year for music fanatics, especially for that rare breed of superfan that lives to attend concert events. To honor said legion of dedicated fans who have been kept from witnessing their favorite artists rock out on stage over the past several months, Jay and Deon discuss some of their all-time favorite rock show memories. As always, an all-vinyl mixtape is produced, each cut inspired by a specific concert memory. From Rush in '78 to rapping on the streets of Detroit twenty years later, the Lickers bring an eclectic slice of nostalgia pie to the sonic table in episode 11. Mmmmmm-mmmm. It's a long one, but brevity be damned...they've got stories to tell. It's so goddamned long in fact that the LLR pod platform couldn't handle it in one sitting. Therefore, PART 1 is the stories, leaving only the mixtape as PART 2. This holiday season, feel free to be indulgent and enjoy a very special two-helping offering of Lightnin' Licks Radio. It's guaranteed to fill you up, even if goes straight to your hips.

ROCK SHOW MIXTAPE

[SIDE A] (1) Far - Mother Mary (2) RUSH - A Farewell To Kings (3) Black Moon - Who Got Da Props? (4) The Hold Steady - I Hope This Thing Didn't Frighten You (5) Jerry Garcia - Love Scene [SIDE B] (1) U2 - Bullet The Blue Sky  (2) Phish - Waste (3) The Replacements - Unsatisfied (4) Camp Lo - Luchini (This Is It) (5) Guided By Voices - Touching

ADDITIONAL SONIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO EPISODE ELEVEN OF LIGHTNIN' LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Holland Dozier Holland / Brothers Johnson / James Todd Smith / Jackson Browne / Yo La Tengo / The Clash / Peaches / Labi Siffre / Boot Camp Clik / Beat Minerz / Heltah Skeltah / Black Moon / Eminem / Ronnie Laws / RUSH / The Pat Travers Band / Neil Diamond / Pantera / Black Sabbath / The Sex Pistols / The Pop Will Eat Itself / Deftones / Eric B. / Secret Handshake / Ouch / bev.clone / System Of A Down / Far / Incubus / Dynasty / U2 / The Pretenders / The Smiths / The Dust Brothers / Beastie Boys / DEVO / Lenny Kravitz / Phish / The Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia / War On Drugs / Yard Waste / Rage Against The Machine featuring Wu-Tang Clan / The Replacements / Guided By Voices / N.W.A. / R.E.M. / Lucera / The Hold Steady / Height Keech / B.O.O.G.I.E. Monsters / KRS One / Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth / The Clockers.

Guest Licker Shannon Proctor reads the credits.

RECORDED REMOTELY 11-28-2020 RELEASED 12-05-2020 COVER ART: BRYAN KONIECZKA

For Geary.

***Leave us a voice message and let us know your favorite rock show memory***

Double-double-double-double digits, y’all! Episode 10 of LLR focuses on an audible grab bag of sonic obscurities. Lightnin’ Lickers Jay & Deon discuss some of their favorite vinyl records they have come across over the years that seem to be surprisingly rare, unknown, underappreciated or otherwise previously unheard of by many of their music-geek peers. A fun and loose mixtape is created containing ten choice cuts from these underrated dusty gems. Feel free to join the conversation on facebook or twitter and let the boys know of some of your favorite obscure albums, unexpected finds, bargain bin beauties or buried treasures. Let’s discover together.

SONICA OBSCURA ALL-VINYL MIXTAPE

[SIDE A] (1) Ned Doheny – Get It Up For Love (2) Hi Rhythm - Superstar (3) Rich Kids - Ghosts Of Princess In Towers (4) Mariam - So You Say You Lost Your Baby (5) The Glove – A Blues In Drag [SIDE B] (1) Caruso – She’s In Love With You (Monster Mix) (2) Ugly Duckling – Journey To Anywhere (3) Loz Netto – Ambush (4) White Animals – Dreamland/Don’t Care (5) Hasil Adkins – How Much I Love You

ADDITIONAL SONIC CONTRIBUTORS TO EPISODE TEN OF LIGHTNIN" LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Holland Dozier Holland / Brothers Johnson / James Todd Smith a.k.a. L.L. Cool J / Cymande / Black Sheep / William McLane a.k.a. Sugar Dick Daddy Mista Lawnge / The Pharcyde / J Dilla / Maurice Ravel / Jovan / Beastie Boys / White Animals / R.E.M. / Styles Of Beyond / Jurasic Five / Sweet Dog / Neptunes / Black Eyed Peas / Ugly Duckling / Ypung Einstein / Pete Jolly / Ford (our dog) / George Clinton / Ned Doheny / Jackson Browne / Wendy Rheem / The Phantom / The Cramps / Mariam / The Ramones / Gene Clark / Sniff & The Tears / Loz Netto / Cal Tjader / Rick James / Chaka Kahn / Hasil Adkins / Caruso / The Raspberries / The Glove / Siouxsie And The Banshees / The Cure / Another Nashville Coma / Abraham Jefferson / The Rich Kids / The Sex Pistols / Visage / Ultravox / Gen X / The Skids / Hi-Rhythm / Al Grren / Ann Peebles / Syl Johnson / O.V. Wright / Willie Mitchell / Joe Voyer / The Clockers.

***LEAVE US A GODDAMN VOICE MESSAGE YOU PUKES!***

Our all-time favorite cover tunes!

Sonic soul brothers Jay and Deon realize it has been entirely too long between drinks, tunes, bafoonery and banter. The original Dos Lickers get back into the swing of things the only way they truly know how...gabbin' obsessively about their favorite vinyl jams. This month's theme is revealed to be cover songs. As the peanut butter whiskey and poor man's Bloody Marys are thrown back into their gullets, the dysfunctional duo discuss deep cuts that pay homage to their original source material in this stupendously special episode NINER of Lightnin' Licks Radio. Enjoy!

Deep Covers all-vinyl mixtape

SIDE A: (1) The Dickies - Paranoid [Black Sabbath] (2) The Black Keys - Act Nice And Gentle [The Kinks] (3) Lee Moses - California Dreamin' [The Mamas & The Papas] (4) George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Night Time [The Strangeloves] (5) Wanda Davis - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? [Leadbelly] (6) The Dirtbombs - Ode To A Black Man [Phil Lynott] SIDE B: (1) Gene Clark - Tears Of Rage [The Band] (2) Buddy Miles - Down By The River [Neil Young] (3) Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Born To Run [Bruce Springsteen] (4) The Tubes - My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains [Captain Beefheart] (5) The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Light My Fire [The Doors] (6) Jason And The Scorchers - Absolutely Sweet Marie [Bob Dylan] 

ADDITIONAL (NON-MIX) SONIC CONTRIBUTORS TO EPISODE NINE OF LIGHTNIN' LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Brothers Johnson / Holland Dozier Holland / L.L. Cool J / The Four Tops / Boyz II Men / Ken Tamplin / Springbot / Funk Brothers / Megadeth / Cowboy Junkies / Metallica / Queen / EMF / Bruce Springsteen / The Apache Relay / Boombox Hearts / CODA curl / Fashion Flesh / Soccer Mommy / Jennifer O'Connell / Grateful Dead / Jane's Addiction / Led Zeppelin / Blind Melon / David Bowie / The Rolling Stones / Buddy Miles / Neil Young / Captain Beefheart / Tha Mamas And The Papas / The Strangeloves / Leadbelly / Mark Lanegan / Phil Lynott / Huey Lewis And The News / Jim Morrison / The Doors / Jose Feliciano / Bob Dylan / The Velvet Underground / The Dead Weather / The Band / Black Sabbath / The Kinks / WAR / Mary J. Blige / Snoop Doggy Dogg / Dr. Dre / George Clinton / Parliament / The Counts / The Clockers.

RECORDED 09/19/2020 RELEASED 09/27/2020 COVER ART BY BRYAN KONIECZKA

***Leave a voice message and let us know some of your favorite cover songs***

Film Soundtracks. Episode 7 was supposed to be one for the ladies. Or by the ladies, actually, for every earthling to enjoy. However, due to COVID-19 (duh) Jay and Deon found themselves chatting remotely about their favorite motion picture soundtrack LPs. Each licker discusses their personal top five. This was a long one, but the boys clearly have been missing one another and were sidetracked on multiple occasions. Team Lightnin' Licks hopes you enjoy the ride. Stay safe out there, Podcast America. Our world needs us at our best.

In 2020, summer madness could mean a good many number of things. Things are weird. When LLR speaks of summer madness, however, they mean cracklin' hot mixes to serve as soundtracks for the dog days to come. Jay and Deon choose tracks for the 2020 Lightnin' Licks Radio Summer Madness Mixtape and tell some stories along the way. Jay's first love...they cover that. Deon's ultimate DJ fantasy...got that, too. Jay's hatred for Vampire Weekend is exposed as well as Deon's dismissive attitude towards Mike Love. The summer vibes are so strong in this episode it is recommended that listeners lather up with sunscreen, minimum SPF of infinity. It's like...really, really hawt. In hurr. So take off all your clothes. Except the mask. Wear the goddamn mask.

LLR 2020 Summer Madness Mixtape:

[SIDE A] (1) Beach Day - Beach Day (2) Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa (3) Paul Young - Love of the Common People (4) William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (5) Maximo Park - Tanned (6) Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blues [SIDE B] (1) XTC - Summer's Cauldron (2) National Wake - Corner House Stone (3) Style Council - Long Hot Summer (4) 2 Pac - I Get Around (5) Janes Addiction - Summertime Rolls

ADDITIONAL (NON-MIX) SONIC CONTRIBUTORS TO EPISODE EIGHT OF LIGHTNIN' LICKS RADIO PODCAST INCLUDE:  Lee Moses / Holland Dozier Holland / Brothers Johnson / James Todd Smith / Derrick Harriott / George Gershwin / Herbie Mann / Sam Cooke / The 3 Sounds / Ramsey Lewis / Earth, Wind, And Fire / Kool And The Gang / DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince / Biz Markie / Herbie Hancock / Francis BeBe / Oneness Of JuJu / Maximo Park / Hi Rhythm / Digital Underground / Dr. Dre / Roger Troutman / XTC / D'Angelo / Smokey Robinson / Marv Tarplin / Bobby Blue Bland / Syl Johnson / Ann Peebles / John Hurley / Ronnie Wilkins / Leonard Nimoy / WAVVES / Jimmy Buffett / Seals & Croft / Paul Young / Harry Nilsson / Lou Reed / Mungo Jerry / Michael Jackson / Trevor Edmonds / The Jam / Curtis Mayfield / Vampire Weekend / Goerge Morris / Elvis Costello / Jan Hammer / The DirtBombs / Ramones / Undertones / Rupert Holmes / Future Islands / Handgrenades / The Curls / The Clappers.

Voice actress Shannon Proctor appears as Deon's dream girl

***Seriously, leave us a voice message. Please.***

Baseball is returning. That's some welcome good news. The cleats clickin', the mitts poppin', the bats crackin'...oh man! The sounds of this soon-to-be-season are as satisfying as she gets, folks! In honor of MLB's Spring Training games kicking off (acceptable mixed-sports metaphor) this weekend, we're placing a special treat in our episode feed. 

In episode 6, Deon told the story of creating the original pilot episode of Lightnin' Licks Radio in May of 2019. He did so to test all of the music and recording equipment in the basement and also to convince Jay that their stories could ultimately be rendered as a sonically palatable product, therefore presenting podcasting as a worthwhile endeavor. Well...it worked! Jay agreed to partner with Deon thus Lightnin' Licks Radio podcast was born.

This is that fateful pilot episode.

Although it doesn't sound too similar to what the podcast would eventually become as far as format is concerned, the storytelling element was strong from day one, with vinyl records and other found-sound/field recordings/archival audio sources playing an important role in the story. If you haven't already heard this episode and you enjoy baseball or poetry or stories of childhood memories, give it a listen. We think it's pretty cool.

When many Michiganders think spring, we think baseball. And many spring-loving, baseball-minded Mitten-dwellers have a special place in their hearts for Ernie Harwell, the voice of the Detriot Tigers for many generations. This episode was written and recorded a few days after news broke that Ernie's widow Lulu had passed away at the age of 99, not long before the 9th anniversary of her legendary broadcaster husband's death. We really hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and...Go Tigers :)