Each week as I prepare to get going on another upcoming show, a new release, movie or TV show, event, or person can serve as an inspiration to get the creative juices flowing and on this week’s TRANSMUSIC AIRWAVES (Episode #475 ) it was a combination of those elements that played out. Upon learning of the passing of Monty Newman, the composer of perhaps the world’s most recognizable spy movie theme (James Bond) I decided to incorporate that theme with other spy music themes interpreted by a variety of artists during today’s first set.
The program begins with the new offering by THE SMILE (featuring members of Radiohead), then tracks by MODEST MOUSE and SLAPP HAPPY, before transitioning into Bond-like themes from PROPELLERHEADS, BOB CRANE & HIS ORCHESTRA (Get Smart), THE SURF CHAMPLERS (Bond), ORANJ SYMPHONETTE (The Pink Panther), and THE VENTURES (Secret Agent Man). NANCY SINATRA adds her own take on the subject with the song ‘The Last Of The Secret Agents’ along the way.
The diversity of the five other sets is what you’d expect as a regular listener to this broadcast and today is no exception. More new pieces are heard from FLORA PURIM, MARK ALLENDER, and DAMON ALBARN, there’s ‘vault’ material from PETER HAMMILL, THE BEATLES, CAN, and TALKING HEADS, indie rock with MONKS OF DOOM, DENGUE FEVER, and WIRE, plus tracks from WILCO, ANGELO BADALAMENTI, DAVID CUNNINGHAM, ADRIAN BELEW, and JOHN KIRKPATRICK.
SET #1
THE SMILE This Thing A Light For Attracting Attention** 4:31
MODEST MOUSE Fly Trapped In A Jar We Were Dead Before The Ship Ever Sank 4:29
SLAPP HAPPY/HENRY COW Giants Desperate Straights (2004 Remaster) 1:57
PROPELLERHEADS On Her Majesties Secret Service (Pt. 1) Drumsanddecksandrockandroll 3:25
BOB CRANE/HIS DRUMS AND HIS ORCHESTRA Get Smart Theme (w/Don Adams) Plays The Funny Side Of TV 1:54
NANCY SINATRA The Last Of The Secret Agents Come Spy With Us – The Secret Agents Handbook 2:45
THE SURF CHAMPLERS The James Bond Theme The Rough Guide To The Music Of Japan** 3:04
ORANJ SYMPHONETTE The Pink Panther Theme Plays Mancini 4:44
THE VENTURES Secret Agent Man Legendary Masters Series 2:16
SET #2
TOTO BONA LOKUA Ghana Blues Toto Bona Lokua 3:04
MONOSWEZI Hwiri Hwiri Hwiri Shanu** 3:48
TALKING HEADS Double Groove (Unfinished Outtake) Remain In Light (Remaster) 4:27
CALEXICO Rancho Azul El Mirador** 2:57
MONKS OF DOOM Unexplained Murders The Cosmodemonic Telegraph Company 3:08
GIBBY HAYNES & HIS PROBLEM Superman Gibby Haynes & His Problem 3:10
BARNEY BIGARD SEXTET Sweet Marijuana Brown Reefer Songs 2:58
WIRE Blessed State 154 (Remaster) 3:27
ROKIA KONE & JACKNIFE LEE Soyi N’Galanba BAMANAN** 5:56
SET #3
BRUCE COCKBURN The Mines Of Mozambique The Charity Of Night 6:14
DENGUE FEVER Sui Bong Escape From Dragon House 4:26
D’NOTE (Steve Reich) Piano Phase (D’Notes Phased & Konfused Remix After Steve Reich) Reich Remixed 5:08
MARK ALLENDER Swagger Piano Ditties From The Time Of The Plague** 1:23
ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER Age Of Age Of 3:24
HECTOR ZAZOU & BONEY BIKAYE It’s A Man’s World Guilty 4:44
SET #4
FLORA PURIM 500 Miles High If You Will** 6:29
STEREOLAB Cybele’s Reverie Emperor Tomato Ketchup (2018 Remaster) 4:42
PETER HAMMILL Tapeworm In Camera 4:19
WILCO On And On And On Sky Blue Sky 4:03
DAMON ALBARN Giraffe Trumpet Sea/Polaris The Nearer The Fountain More Pure The Stream Flows** 6:33
THE BEATLES Dear Prudence (2018 Mix) The Beatles 50th Ann. Deluxe Edition 3:55
SET #5
CAN Deadlock (from Deadlock) Soundtracks 3:27
DAVID CUNNINGHAM Error System (C Pulse Group Recording) Grey Scale 3:25
NDUDUZO MAKHATHINI Nyonini Le? In The Spirit Of Ntu** 6:02
LITTLE FEAT On Your Way Down Dixie Chicken 5:34
MEDESKI, MARTIN, & WOOD Cat Creeps Let’s Go Everywhere 2:46
ANGELO BADALAMENTI A Real Indication Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me 5:37
ADRIAN BELEW Beach Creatures Dancing Like Cranes Desire Caught By The Tail 3:18
SET #6
JOHN KIRKPATRICK Dan The Dustman Going Spare 3:08
DAVID THOMAS My Town Blame The Messenger (Disc 4) Monster (Box Set) 3:07
1912 NATIONAL CALLIOPE The Twelfth Street Rag The Circus Is Coming (Old Fashioned Calliope Music) 1:23
POKEY LAFARGE & THE SOUTH CITY THREE So Long Honeybee, Goodbye Middle Of Everywhere 3:06
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner The French Dispatch (OST) 5:10
UKULELE CLUB DE PARIS Java Javanaisse The Rough Guide To Paris Cafe 1:42
LE VENT DU NORD Le Diable Et Le Fermier Tromper Le Temps 3:38
JONATHAN RICHMAN Sa Voix M’atisse Oh Moon, Queen Of Night On Earth 2:51
** = New or recent acquisition
OST = Original Soundtrack