old.wrek.org Sunday Special | WREK Atlanta, 91.1 FM

Sunday Special

Sunday 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Hosts: Jack Thomson, Dylan Thomson

Every Sunday is a different special. The Sunday Special gives WREK’s DJs some time to use their imaginations and do a little experimentation. Sometimes Sunday Specials focus on a specific genre that we don’t cover in depth here at WREK. Sometimes we highlight a particular artist. It is always exciting. Tune in to hear our DJ’s favorite music.

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Sunday Special 4-23-23

 

REPLI’s Best Finds of 2022

 

Setlist:

Bean Boy – Creature
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Ilyas Ahmed – Moon on the Lake
Lil Ugly Mane – Drain Counter
Everything But the Girl – Tracey in My Room (Lazy Dog Bootleg Vocal Mix)
Subjoi – Love Shy (Subjoi’s Tuff Jam Rework)
VVEEAA – Psycho
RXKNephew – Slither Conspiracy
Sansibar – Game Over
Shawn Cartier – i’m tippin
Deez Nuts – Inside My Groove (Back To My Roots Mix)

GDJYB 雞蛋蒸肉餅 – Why Don’t You Kill Us All
Celer – Mere Threads
Rndm – Recover
Naked Flames – Brand New Shirt (Mix)
The Other People Place – You Said You Want Me
Lil B – B.O.R. (Birth of Rap)

Vaetxh – The Moon Is To The Stars As A Dust Mote Is To Mars
Skee Mask – Lil DB Tool
Rezzett – Worst Ever Contender
Strxwberrymilk – My Head Hurts
Boymerang – Autumnal
George Clanton, Nick Hexum – Aurora Summer (ESPRIT 空想 Remix)
Otto Taimela – Maxima

Pan Sonic – Arktinen
SilvaGunner – Ocean – Terraria
Ruby My Dear – Windowz8
Ity – Backup
I:Cube – Lak
Biosphere – Too Fragile to Walk On
Liturgy – Untitled
Odd Nosdam – Untitled Three

Youtube Playlist:

And here’s the full 153 track playlist which I selected these tracks from, if you want more.

The full mix is on Youtube and Mixcloud! Check the playlist linked above.

Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Posted in Playlists, Sunday Special | Comments Off on Sunday Special 4-23-23

the music of sports: sunday special 4/9/23

Continental Drift takes on Sunday Special!

This sunday special explores the music (and a little bit of history) of international sporting competitions! Find the spotify playlist here. All other songs are linked in this post. 

We’re starting with the Olympics. The modern olympics governed by the International Olympic Committee began in 1896 in Athens, Greece. They are held every four years, alternating winter and summer olympics in 2 year periods. Until the 70s and 80s, when eastern bloc countries bent amateur rules, the olympics banned professional athletes outright- training was thought of as cheating. That’s hard to imagine!

Over 200 teams (countries and territories) compete in the olympics each year. The next olympics are the 2024 summer olympics in Paris, France. The olympics are represented by 5 rings: red, yellow, green, blue, black. Every country has at least one of these colors in their flag.

Olympic Games Nutrition in Tokyo 1964

The athlete’s dining hall at the 1964 Olympics

We’ll be starting our journey through the olympics in 1964 with the Tokyo summer olympics. These were the first olympics to be held in Asia, and the first games which excluded South Africa due to their apartheid policies. These were also the first olympics to be televised internationally without the need to ship reels overseas. 

Music critic Kuniharu Akiyma made a commposition entitled “environmental music for dining room of athlete’s village in tokyo 1964” which, as the title indicates, was for the athlete’s village dining room. In addition to this piece, Akiyama created another for the olympics, in the same style: music for resting. It follows after the first of such compositions, music for coffee house.   

Sanukite | LOVE Sanukisan

Sanukite songs

But what is it? These are ambient pieces made entirely of the sounds of sanukite stones. The precursor began in early 1963 when Akiyama was asked to compose “Song of Stone” for a TV progam about Sanuki, Shikoku Island, which is known for granite quarrying. He is quoted, “I was deeply moved when I hit the natural stones of various sizes that had not been modified by artificial elements. Clear beautiful sounds with amazingly long sustain. Each stone had a different tone. Sharp and very powerful. To be honest, I never had thought that stones could have such a beautiful, strong and sharp tone.”

In addition to composing these pieces, he also engineered stone speakers to play them. They were advertised as having a pure sound “because all vibration except for the paper speaker cone can be suppressed to the utmost limit by the weight of the stone.”

1964
Japan:
Kuniharu Akiyama – Environmental Music for Dining Room of Athletes’ Village in Tokyo Olympics 1964
Germany:
Helmut Zacharias Orchestra – Tokyo Melody – 1964 45rpm

The first official song of the Olympics was “Bienvenue à Montréal”, performed by 15 year old René Simard for the 1976 Olympics in Montréal.

1976
Canada:
René Simard Bienvenue à Montréal 1976(first official song)

Calgary 1988 - Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website

1988 Calgary Winter Olympics

The winter olympics were first held in 1924 in France to showcase winter sports that logistically were not possible in the summer. Until 1994, the winter olympics were held in the same year as the summer olympics. Now, they are staggered. They are more expensive than the summer olympics, costing 1.3 million per athlete on average. In Sochi in 2014, that figure was 7.9 million. 

1988
Calgary, Canada:
Winter games // David Foster

Now we will fast forward 4 years to Barcelona. The 1992 games were the first since the end of the Cold War, and the first to feature South Africa after their 32 year ban due to Apartheid policies. The unified team, made up of former soviet republics, officially won with 45 gold and 112 overall medals. 

1992
Barcelona
Barcelona // Freddie Mercury
Free Your Mind // En Vogue
Anita Baker – How Fast, How Far 

The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia: The bombing of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics - Southern Torch

Now we get to the 1996 centennial olympics, held right here in atlanta!  The summer olympics will not have been held in North America since until 2028, LA. 

 10, 320 athletes from 197 teams competed in 26 sports, and many of them stayed in the North Avenue apartments that are currently Georgia Tech student housing. The 1996 olympics opening ceremonies were the most watched (3.5 billion viewers) live event until 2022, when the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth overtook it. 

Atlanta Olympics 1996 - Lessons - BlendspaceThese olympics were the debut of volleyball, mountain biking, softball, lightweight rowing, women’s swimming, women’s fencing, team rhythmic gymnastics, and women’s association football (soccer). The US won with 101 total medals, 44 gold, the first time since 1984. Notably, the 1996 olympics turned a profit. 

The 1996 Olympics were the first to broadcast the Olympic Theme, written by John Williams in 1984. It adds on to “Bugler’s Dream,” written in 1958 by Leo Arnaud.

1996
Atlanta:
The Olympic Spirit // John Williams, The Boston Pops Orchestra
Bugler’s Dream and Olympic  Fanfare // John Williams, Leo Arnaud, The Boston Pops Orchestra
Reach // Gloria Estefan
Power of the Dream // Celine Dion
Mary J Blige – Everlasting Love (cover of chaka khan)

Taylor Swift’s “Change” was included on 2008 AT&T Team USA soundtrack, as well as Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Luis Fonsi, etc. These were the most expensive olympics to date (40-44 billion dollars). 

Now we will shift in focus to FIFA. The FIFA world cup is the international soccer competition. The first tournament was held in 1930, and ever since in 4 year periods (except during world war II), in winter olympic years. The games involve a qualification phase, where for the 3 years leading up to the tournament countries play each other to determine who will go to the world cup. Brazil, who has 5 wins, is the only team to have played in every men’s tournament. The 2022 world cup was held in Qatar, and an estimated 1.5 billion watched the final match where Argentina was crowned champions. The next tournament is to be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. 

1962 WORLD CUP FINAL: Brazil 3-1 Czechoslovakia - YouTube

1962 World Cup Final

In the 1962 World Cup, Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in Santiago to defend their title. The tournament was marred by violence between players on the pitch and a toxic atmosphere; it included the first-round match between Chile and Italy (2–0), which became known as the Battle of Santiago, one of a number of violent matches played throughout the tournament. It was the first World Cup in which the average number of goals per match was less than three (2.78), and this has since been repeated at every World Cup.

1962, Chile
Chile:
El Rock del Mundial // Los Ramblers, best selling single in chilean history

Pickles dog.jpg

Pickles

1966, England
World Cup Willie // Lonnie Donegon

England defeated West Germany 4-2.

All 15 African nations who entered the qualifying later boycotted the tournament in protest after FIFA, citing “competitive and logistical issues,” ruled that there would be no direct qualification for any African team. The Jules Rimet trophy was stolen before the tournament, but was recovered by a dog named Pickles four months before the tournament began. This trophy was stolen again in 1983, never to be found. 

1994, The US
Gloryland – Daryl Hall (feat. Sounds Of Blackness)

Brazil wins 3-2 over Italy in penalty shoot out after game went 0-0 in regulation, the only world cup championship to be decided entirely by penalty kicks. 

1998, France
La Copa de la Vida // Ricky Martin

This was the longest world cup tournament, at 32 days. France eventually won 3-0 over brazil. It was also the subject of a terrorism plot from Al-Queda targeting the English football team. 

FIFA World Cup flags

2002, South Korea and Japan
Let’s Get Together Now～KOREA/JAPAN Ver.

This is the last Brazil victory, 2-0 over Germany. In the third place play-off match against South Korea, Turkey won 3–2 and scored the fastest goal in the FIFA World Cup history (10.8 seconds after kick-off).

2006, Germany
Hips Don’t Lie // Shakira

Italy beat France 5-3 after regulation ended 1-1.  The 2006 World Cup is one of the most watched events in television history, with an esimated 26.29 billion views over the entire tournament. 

2010 FIFA World Cup - Wikipedia2010, South Africa
Official anthem:
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) // Shakira

Coke advertising anthem:
Wavin’ Flag // K’naan

Pepsi advertising anthem:
Oh Africa // Akon

Mascot anthem:
Game On // Pitbull, tkzee, and Dario G

Spain went 1-0 over the Netherlands, becoming the first European nation to win a World Cup hosted outside its home continent: all previous World Cups held outside Europe had been won by South American nations. 

This was also the first time that the hosts had been eliminated in the first stage. New Zealand, with three draws, were the only undefeated team in the tournament, but they were also eliminated in the group stage.

2022, Qatar
Tukoh Taka // Nicki Minaj, Maluma, Myriam Fares

The last two songs are for horse racing and the Masters.

Where the Turf Meets the Surf // Bing Crosby

This song is dedicated entirely to one racetrack — Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in San Diego, California, which Bing Crosby co-founded. It was written in 1938, one year after it opened. 

Augusta //  John Story

Thanks for tuning in!

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 | Posted in Continental Drift, Playlists, Shows, Sunday Special | Comments Off on the music of sports: sunday special 4/9/23

Messy Life Sunday Special – 12/18/22

Oh Messy Life // Cap’n Jazz
Green Grass // Arigarnon Friends
My Afternoon’s Shotgunned // Oolong
Why Am I Not Going Underwater? // Snowing
That’s Physics, Baby // Pool Kids
fly on the wall // Oso Oso
Red & Blue Jeans // The Promise Ring
Are You Still Seeing Graig, the Orthodontist? // CLIFFDIVER
Imagine Why // Pet Fox
64 // Guitar Fight from Fooly Cooly
Pretty Boi! // Hey, Ily
Raptured Trax, Pt. 1 // Equipment
L Ron Hubbard Was Way Cool // Home Is Where
Chelsea // Yes Chef!
Fis tel // downt
Deck Wine // Marietta
Hit #2 // 125 Rue Montmartre
When Summer // Asian Glow
Impressionism // Kara’s Walk Home
That Scene in Fight Club Where Edward Norton Looks in the Mirror and Sees Brad Pitt Instead of Himself // Floral Patterns.
space orphan // foxtails
Pale Blue Dot // Della Zyr
Go Home. Play Music. Feel Better. // Michael Cera Palin

Wednesday, December 21, 2022 | Posted in Playlists, Sunday Special | Comments Off on Messy Life Sunday Special – 12/18/22

women who rock ~ a feminist music retrospective

for this week’s Sunday Special, Karina and Rebecca explore some lesser-known songs released by some of the most innovative and well-known female voices in music. see below for the bios of the artists we covered, as well as a chronological playlist of the songs we used! thanks for listening 🙂

File:Skunk Anansie - 02.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

“Hard-Headed Woman” by Wanda Jackson

Triple threat Wanda Jackson has had successful ventures into rock, country, and gospel. Born in 1937, her career took off after she was discovered and signed to Decca Records in high school after singing on a local radio show. After a brief tryst with Elvis, Jackson shifted from country to rockabilly, thus earning her the nickname “The Queen of Rockabilly”. She was one of the very first women to achieve success in rock-and-roll, so hats off to her!

“Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” by Cher

American legend Cher is known by many as the ‘Goddess of Pop’, and for good reason. She is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice, and for having success in various forms of entertainment, from music to film and beyond. Cher first found fame in 1965 as one-half of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher, most notably their song ‘I Got You Babe’ and a hugely popular TV show, and she soon began a solo career. In the 1980s, she made her Broadway debut, and also found success in films such as Mask and Moonstruck, which won her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

“Long Long Time” by Linda Ronstadt

American singer Linda Ronstadt is an award-winning superstar of both pop and country music. She has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. She is celebrated for her ability to adapt to a diverse range of styles, delivering albums that featured country, rock, jazz and Spanish-language classics. In 2013, Ronstadt revealed that she could no longer sing because of the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

“Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” by Diana Ross

Singer and actress Diana Ross was part of the 1960s pop/soul trio the Supremes before embarking on a successful solo career, also starring in such films as ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ and ‘The Wiz.’

“Trust Me” by Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin developed a love of music at an early age, but her career didn’t take off until she joined the band Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966. Their 1968 album, Cheap Thrills, was a huge hit. However, friction between Joplin and the band prompted her to part ways with Big Brother soon after. Known for her powerful, blues-inspired vocals, Joplin released her first solo effort, I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, in 1969. The album received mixed reviews, but her second project, Pearl (1971), released after Joplin’s death, was a huge success. The singer died of an accidental overdose on October 4, 1970, at age 27.

“Dreamboat Annie” by Heart

Ann and Nancy Wilson are sisters, as well as the brains and faces behind rock band Heart. With Nancy playing guitar and Ann singing lead vocals, Heart took the world by storm in the 70s and 80s. After releasing Dreamboat Annie and Little Queen in 1975 and 1977 respectively, the band rebranded and honed the hard-driving, powerful sound they’re known for now. With hits like Barracuda, Alone, and All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You, Heart has certainly made their mark on pop culture for years to come.

“Surrender” by Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry is a singer and actress famous for leading Blondie, a new wave band known for their U.S. No. 1 hits “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture.”

“Cactus Tree” by Joni Mitchell

Singer, songwriter Joni Mitchell is best known for her honest, confessional, and deeply poetic lyricism and her gorgeous singing voice. After singing in nightclubs around Canada and the U.S, Mitchell signed to Reprise Records and released a number of critically-acclaimed albums, including Blue, an album that is widely regarded as one of the best of all time, in 1971. Her music isn’t on Spotify, as she’s been a longtime critic of the music industry.

“Arabian Knights” by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Siouxsie Sioux, born Susan Ballion, is one of the pioneers of post-punk and goth music, and is arguably one of the most recognizable faces of the goth subculture. She got her start as a member of the Bromley Contingent, fans of the Sex Pistols who were known for their style and devotion to the band. Inspired by the DIY ethos of punk, she and Steve Severin started Siouxsie and the Banshees, with Siouxsie as lead singer. Though their very first performance was 20 minutes of the Lord’s Prayer, the band went on to release 11 albums in their 20 year run, making them one of the most successful underground bands of all time.

“Dread Love” by Nina Hagen

Dubbed as the Godmother of Punk, german Nina Hagen is a classically trained singer but chose to pursue the punk rock scene, as she mashes up her theatrical vocal executions and punk. Born in East Berlin, German Democratic Republic, Hagen first pursued her career in the mid 1970s. After moving to West Berlin in 1976, she formed the Nina Hagen Band and signed with CBS Records. The band released two album before Hagen decided to pursue her career as a solo artist. In 1982, she signed with CBS Records and released her first solo album “NunSexMonkRock”

“Time the Avenger” by The Pretenders

Chrissie Hynde is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band the Pretenders. Originally an artist, her music career began when she moved to London. After multiple failed attempts to start or join a band, she finally met Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott, and Martin Chambers, and the four became The Pretenders. Though she’s the only permanent member of the group, her songs have been chart-toppers multiple times, including Brass in Pocket and I’ll Stand By You.

“All We Are” by Warlock

“Dorothee Pesch (born 3 June 1964), known professionally as Doro Pesch or simply Doro, is a German heavy metal singer and the former frontwoman of heavy metal band Warlock. Dubbed the “Metal Queen“, Doro’s contributions to music and culture made her a global figure in metal culture for over three decades. The name Doro has also been associated with the touring band accompanying the singer, whose members have continuously changed in more than 20 years of uninterrupted activity, the most stable presences being those of bassist Nick Douglas and drummer Johnny Dee.” – Wikipedia

“Across the Lines” by Tracy Chapman

Best known for her hit single “Fast Car” that details the nature of poverty and generational trauma, Tracy Chapman emerged in 1988 with her critically-acclaimed debut self-titled album. Notoriously private, Chapman used her songs as vehicles to discuss issues of politics, sexuality, gender, race, and identity. She got her start busking on the streets in Boston before being discovered by Elektra Records. Since then, she’s put out 9 records, all in the same singer-songwriter vein.

“Foreign Affair” by Tina Turner

Tina Turner began performing with musician Ike Turner in the 1950s. They became known as the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, achieving popular acclaim for their live performances and recordings like the top 5 hit “Proud Mary,” until Tina left in the 1970s after years of domestic abuse. Following a slow start to her solo career, Turner achieved massive success with her 1984 album Private Dancer. She went on to deliver more chart-topping albums and hit singles and was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

“Credit in the Straight World” by Hole

Though she is best known for being Kurt Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love’s music and band Hole were extremely successful in the early grunge scene. Originally an actress, she had minor roles in Sid and Nancy and Straight to Hell. Shortly thereafter, she formed Hole and released their first album in 1991, which was produced by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth fame. Their next two albums were critical hits, with Celebrity Skin being nominated for 3 Grammys. Love continues to release music, as well as write and act.

“Double Dare Ya” by Bikini Kill

Kathleen Hanna is best known as the lead singer and frontwoman of seminal punk band Bikini Kill, as well as the lead singer of Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin. One of Bikini Kill’s main goals was to encourage other women to make music and take up space in a male-dominated Washington punk scene, a goal they largely accomplished by being pioneers of the riot grrrl movement. Fun fact: their first EP was produced by punk legend Ian Mackaye of Fugazi and Minor Threat fame.

“It Takes Blood and Guts To Be This Cool But I’m Still Just A Cliche” by Skunk Anansie

Deborah Ann Dyer (pictured above), known by her stage name Skin, is a British rock singer and the lead vocalist of the band Skunk Anansie. The band formed in 1994 and became a staple of the Britrock scene, especially due to the fact that Skin was in direct opposition with Britpop groups like Blur. Skin has gone on to become an EDM DJ and a mother.

“Possibly Maybe” by Björk

Björk is arguably one of the most boundary-pushing, innovative, and experimental artists of the past 100 years. She was discovered at age 11 via an appearance on Iceland’s only radio station, and joined the band the Sugarcubes, which became an international sensation. After leaving the Sugarcubes, Bjork released a significant number of solo albums that garnered both critical and audience praise, including Debut, Post, Homogenic, and Vespertine.

“Sky Fits Heaven” by Madonna

Madonna is a pop music singer and actress who went solo in 1981 and became a sensation in the then male-dominated 1980s music scene. By 1991, she had achieved 21 Top 10 hits in the United States and sold more than 70 million albums internationally. In January 2008, she was named the world’s wealthiest female musician by Forbes magazine.

“UR” by Alanis Morrissette

Alanis Morissette is a Canadian musician known for her confessional lyrics and a layered rock-influenced sound. Her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill established her as one of alternative rock’s foremost female vocalists of the 1990s.

“Start Over” by Beyonce

Born in 1981, Beyoncé Knowles is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning recording artist who’s acclaimed for her thrilling vocals, videos and live shows. Beyoncé first captured the public’s eye as lead vocalist of the R&B group Destiny’s Child. She later established a solo career with her debut album Dangerously in Love, becoming one of music’s top-selling artists with sold-out tours and a slew of awards. She married hip-hop recording artist Jay-Z in 2008 and the couple has three children, and she also holds the record for most Grammy wins ever by a female artist with 28.

“TV” by Billie Eilish

Born in 2001, American singer and songwriter Billie Eilish became a pop superstar by way of her distinctive musical and fashion sensibilities and songs like “Ocean Eyes,” “Bad Guy” and “Therefore I Am.” Born and raised in Los Angeles, Billie Eilish was barely a teenager when her song “Ocean Eyes” became a viral hit. She teamed with her brother, Finneas, to create the tracks for the breakout EP Don’t Smile at Me and the smash album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, establishing the artist as a global sensation and multi-time Grammy winner before the age of 20.

“Getaway Car” by Taylor Swift

One of today’s top acts in popular music, Taylor Swift was earning renown as a country music singer by the age of 16. Early hits like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” appealed to country and pop fans alike and helped fuel the multi-platinum success of her albums, including the Grammy-winning Fearless (2008). Swift continued to top the charts with her 2014 studio effort 1989, which featured the No. 1 singles “Shake it Off” and “Blank Space” and won Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.

Sunday, November 27, 2022 | Posted in Playlists, Shows, Sunday Special | Comments Off on women who rock ~ a feminist music retrospective

Sunday Special 3-27-22

  

REPLI’s Best Finds of 2021

 

Setlist:

Kola Kid – The Earth Is Counting On You
Vaetxh – Unfolding Mechanism
John Frusciante – Untitled #4
Vril – Haus
AL-90 – Serpentarium
The Dead Texan – The Struggle

Axis – Solutions
David Sylvian – Approaching Silence
Scott Grooves – Mothership Reconnection (Daft Punk Remix)
The Black Dog – Cost II
Hardrive – Deep Inside
Fax Gang – Jeopardy

Five Star Hotel – Courthouse
Injury Reserve – Knees
Reagenz – Keep Building
The Field – Divide Now

Material Girl – Dogs
Acetantina – Puddle of Nitrogen
David Shawty – who let the dogs out
Exodia – Rayquaza Ex
Balance and Composure – Reflection
Grouper – Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping
John Cage – In a Landscape

Youtube Playlist:

And here’s the full 153 track playlist which I selected these tracks from, if you want more.

Sunday, March 27, 2022 | Posted in Playlists, Sunday Special | Comments Off on Sunday Special 3-27-22
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