Some FEATURED ARTISTS on this week’s Stronger Than Dirt (Saturday, March 29, 8-10pm) include the Pretty Things, Shoes, XTC, Freshies, Young Marble Giants, Judy’s, Woodentops, Epoxies, Mallard, lots of new music as well as the weekly Dusty Diamond.
COVER ART OF THE WEEK: Carney • Hild • Kramer were a collaboration of Ralph Carney (Tin Huey, Tom Waits), Daved Hild (Girls) and Kramer (Bongwater). They released two albums, “Happiness Finally Came to Them” in 1987 and “Black Power” in 1994, both on Kramer’s label Shimmy Disc. The former features photos by NYC photographer Michael Macioce on the front and back covers. Macioce provided artwork and photos for numerous bands on Shimmy Disc, Rough Trade (including The Butthole Surfers’ “Psychic…, Powerless… Another Man’s Sac”) and other indie labels. Check out more of his work at macioce.org.
DUSTY DIAMOND OF THE WEEK (a vintage gem from the STD vaults): The Knights of the New Crusade were a California Christian garage rock band that included ex members of the Phantom Surfers. They were active from 2004 until around 2011, and in that time strove to deliver an in-your-face spiritual message, and to make Christian Rock, well, rock. “Secret Sign” is a scorching punk rock ode to Christian pride and bumper stickers. It appeared in 2004 on the “My God Is Alive! Sorry About Yours! Songs in Praise of Our Lord God and in Condemnation of Sin” album on the Gabriel’s Trumpet and Screaming Apple labels. Listen to it here:
Promo art from XTC’s 1978 “White Music” album on Virgin Records. Original design and photographic effects by Cooke Key and photography by Dennis Morris.