Hey Everyone,

Its that time of year and the radio station I DJ for, Dandelion Radio, is holding their Festive 50 celebration. Stop by Dandelion Radio before December comes and vote for your 3 favorite tracks that came out in 2009. We'll tally the votes and the top 50 tunes get the countdown treatment and broadcast all to great fun and merriment.

VOTE NOW!

One of my favorite local acts, Ad Astra Per Aspera, has just released a new 7" on Love Garden Records. Its A-side is Danger Bird Blues and the flip is Rrrip-It-Up. Both tracks are absolutely tremendous. (Bet you thought I'd use the word "amazing")

I wish I could share with you a MP3, but I want you guys to buy this awesome little number. There is a digital copy with every vinyl copy too.

But you want to hear the music right now. So go over to AAPA's Myspace and listen to it.

And finally, you're asking "Who's Love Garden Records?"

Well hotshot, they are the local record store in downtown Lawrence, KS. That's right. The record store is the label. How tasty is that.

Thanks to Amanda for telling me about it.

Everyone rejoice! The Embarrassment anthology "Heyday" is back in print after being unavailable for far too long. Its back on its original label, Bar None Records.

Order it here from Insound or better yet, tell your local independent record store to get you a copy.

Its been four days now and the fact that KU (my alma mater and where I still live here in Lawrence, KS) won the NCAA Basketball Championship over not just Memphis, but North Carolina as well is all but a dream still. It was & will be the best basketball I've ever witnessed for my life, I guarantee it. I ended up standing on a bar being sprayed by the bartender and his tonic water gun. I screamed myself mute. Along with 40,000 fans, I descended upon downtown Lawrence and felt a since of community that pro-sports can never really attain.

That's all. Just thought I'd mention how happy I've been this week.

Rock Chalk!

PS - the photo is of downtown Lawrence after the win.

The 'ol Yank Sizzler is expanding. Starting in April, in addition to this podcast, I will be doing The Yank Sizzler on Dandelion Radio out of London. I've been given the honor to join the wonderful staff of this superb station. My first month's show will be a one-hour run, but after that, I should start a regular two hour program every month.

And on a smaller scale, the old hometown folks of Dodge City, KS will be able to hear a 1 hour Yank Sizzler show every week on KONQ 91.9 FM several different times throughout the week.

Hey everyone,

Sorry about the lack of shows since October. I hate taking hiatus from the show but my recent job took all my spare time away. I was on the road up in Omaha (a wonderful city by the way) working on a Christmas feature film for next year. It was a blast, but it made me neglect the show. I'll be back after the new year, I promise. I really wanted to do a Xmas special podcast, but that too got canned.

Anyway, its Dec. 22nd. I always remember that date for its the birthday of great friend and its the day Joe Strummer left this good earth.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone. Take care and be safe.

Michael

Being an avid Tom Waits fan, I cruise by the much updated Waits blog, The Eyeball Kid.

Recently there have been some fun video link posts.

The first is a superb animated music video for "In the Belly of Whale" created by Gal Shkedi of Israel. The piece is somewhat reminiscent of that M. Ward video but only in style. Simply gorgeous.

The second is what I wish the Travel channel was, instead of Las Vegas hype content. Its a bizarre fishing program with John Lurie and Tom Waits in Jamaica.

Courtesy of the Eyeball Kid blog.

Michael

I've redone a little bit on the site today and now all the non-podcast MP3 & ZIP files I've been sharing are permanent. In the old system they expired after 30 days, but no more. If a file is down, get in touch and I'll fix the link. Later everyone and enjoy the music.

Michael

The good news is that a great out of town work trip has presented itself. The bad news is that I'm a lazy tool who won't be able to complete a new Yank Sizzler podcast until I get back around Feb 10th. I desperately wanted to do a new episode for you guys as I've come across some amazing music in the last week. But alas it will need to wait. This only reaffirms that I seriously need to invest in a laptop instead of this PC I use.

But don't fret, instead head on over to Dandelion Radio and make sure you catch the last week of programming this month because it is the new home to the Festive 50 countdown that Mr. John Peel loved so much. It's a great playlist and my voted track "Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn & John made it to #5. Awesome people + awesome music = Dandelion Radio.

Tootles,

Michael Stoecker

I have just finished episode 17 of The Yank Sizzler and it will be available later tonight.

I Love You Guys For Sticking Around,

Michael

Hey everyone, I'm back from Louisiana and will be getting the next episode of The Yank Sizzler up soon. However please direct your attention over to ballboy's website where they have just posted a premiere podcast. Regular listeners of the show will know that ballboy are an absolute favorite of mine. The show is hosted by Gordon and he plays a couple songs acoustically.

ballboy are phenomenal.
http://www.ballboymusic.com/

I have just returned from Gogol Bordello. My ears are ringing, my hair is in sweat-coated locks, and I have just seen the band that will change punk music yet again for the better.

I have been fortunate enough to see Gogol 5 times and it wasn't until tonight that I realized what was happening. They are the most important "punk" band since The Refused broke up in '98. Excluding The Refused, Gogol is the first band to adequately reinvent punk since the Bad Brains.

Punk is not about chord structure. It's about attitude and it always has been. In the tradition of The Clash & the Bad Brains, Gogol will forge a new chapter in punk music that is unique and is burning brightest right now. It is the assimilation of vibrant and individual culture that keeps punk alive. Only when it breaches the confines of what people consider punk, does it breath anew. The punk sound so many associate today's punk with is not punk, but a copy of what once changed culture.

A new powder keg is burning. See Gogol Bordello if you wish to see it erupt.

Signing off, 2 am.

Michael

If you are in the Lawrence, KS region tonight, make sure and attend Gogol Bordello at the Bottleneck. You will not regret it. They put on the best live show today. Viva the Gypsy Punk Revolution!




This photo is copyrighted by someone I don't know, but the credit goes to them. It's from Emo's in Austin.

Because there just isn't enough content to fill up our days. This podcast is going to go full steam into the nightmare of blogging. So in addition to the podcast, the website will feature various things people might enjoy. Or not.

Stay tuned.

Sadly there is no reason for it, but the rule of three almost always applies to the passing of iconic people you looked up to.

Fellow Kansan
Gordon Parks
12 Nov. 1912 - 07 March 2006
Photographer, writer, filmmaker, musician.

This photo is
Deathbed, Fort Scott, KS

Gordon won more battles than most.
Important battles for those who couldn't always fight themselves.

Ivor Cutler
15 Jan. 1923 - 03 March 2006
I know St. Peter is a sucker for rambling tales of "Egg Meat". And I imagine God will enjoy them as well.

You can now find me on iTunes where you can subscribe to the podcast. I'm very happy as iTunes should bring about a little more traffic. I also recently listed with the following podcast sites -
Odeo.com
Podcast.net
Podcast Pickle

Please feel free to hop on over to these sights and vote for the show.

Thanks, Michael

I decided the benefits of MySpace outweighed the downside of MySpace. So I opened an account here. It will basically just redirect you to this page though.

Gordon McIntyre of Ballboy, Jon Graboff and Laura Cantrell perform "I Lost You But Found Country Music" at John Peel's house (Peel Acres).