On this week’s Stronger Than Dirt (Saturday, September 12, 8-10pm) host Scott Gardner celebrates the Sick Sounds of Six by featuring some of his favorite tunes from the years 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2016 and 2026. Some featured artists include the Troggs, Monks, Flamin’ Groovies, Three Johns, Bangles, Servotron, Holly Golightly and Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds. This will be the first of two fall membership drive Stronger Than Dirt shows, so please consider showing your support for KOOP 91.7, Austin’s community radio, by making a donation. And thanks!
COVER ART OF THE WEEK: Peter Zaremba’s Love Delegation was the eponymous “garage disco” solo project of the Fleshtones’ front man. Active in the mid 80s they released two albums and a single between 1986 and 89. Their first album, “Spread the Word,” was released in 1986 on Moving Target Records and included various NYC musicians like Wendy Wild, Ricky Rothchild and Keith Streng. It featured a psychedelic cover design by Mr. Falls based on a concept by Zaremba along with photography by Marilla Palmer Zaremba. (Click on image to enlarge)
DUSTY DIAMOND OF THE WEEK (a vintage gem from the STD vaults): Thee Michelle Gun Elephant were a high-powered Tokyo based garage rock band active from 1991 until 2001. The band name came from a friend’s mispronunciation of an early jam session that included covers from the Damned’s “Machine Gun Etiquette” album. Much of their early output was only available in Japan (where they were quite popular) and it wasn’t until the late 90s that they made a dent in the Western garage scene. (I discovered them on a 1998 7” split with The Bristols.) “Speaker” is quintessential TMBE, a sweaty hard-charging fist-pumper with searing guitar work and higher production quality than much garage rock of that era. It appeared first in 1997 on the “Get Up Lucy” EP on Triad Records, and then two years later as a track on the “Rumble” collection, also on Triad. Listen to it here:
