Very High Frequencies

Episode: 222 GotHalloween Party 2024 - Part 2

Part 2 of Gothalloween party featuring movie and television soundtrack music from a slew of frightening supernatural fare. Alternative music punks and rockers show their appreciation of the tricks and the treats.  Some you may know well but rest assured there will be some surprises too!  Boris, Vincent and Bela will all be stopping by to say hey and help guide us through the  foggy night,  coexisting with the spirit world in which time ceases to exist as we know it. Light the black candle and listen to the magical power of alternative music. Every day is Gothalloween on Very High Frequencies!  

Episode: 221 GotHalloween Party 2024 pt 1

Very High Frequencies celebrates Halloween with two shows! VHF-221 & 222 are dead-icated to all things creepy and spooky! Very High Frequencies invites you to our Gothalloween party featuring movie and television soundtrack music from a slew of frightening supernatural fare. Alternative music punks and rockers show their appreciation of the tricks and the treats.  Some you may know well but rest assured there will be some surprises too!  Boris, Vincent and Bela will all be stopping by to say hey and help guide us through the  foggy night,  coexisting with the spirit world in which time ceases to exist as we know it. Light the black candle and listen to the magical power of alternative music. Every day is Gothalloween on Very High Frequencies!  

Episode: 220 The Sisters of Mercy

Episode: 219 The Cure Alone Uknown

VHF-219 (The Cure - Alone & Unknown) is all about Robert Smith and his long running band, the Cure. After a seventeen year hiatus from studio album releases, the group has released their first single, Alone, from their forthcoming album, Songs Of A Lost World. The new album comes out one minute past Halloween, November 1st!
In honor of this exciting and long awaited release Very High Frequencies has put together a bunch of the bands more obscure B-sides and lesser known studio tracks, along with a few of the big hit songs that seem to be playing everywhere. Even my local supermarket Muzak PA is playing The Cure to all customers; from age seven to ninety seven. The grocery shoppers might not be listening but they are hearing The Cure. 
As Goth becomes another cyclical commodity that sells sells sells it makes sense that the band has become mainstream without necessarily selling out completely. The point is we have a tendency to hear the same dozen songs by The Cure over and over again. They actually have hundreds of songs and a lot of them are so very good. 
Tune in to this episode of Very High Frequencies for an alternative version of an extremely popular band. We will also check out a few songs featuring Robert Smith that are outside of The Cure. And of course we will be playing the first single, Alone, from their upcoming album. Check out VHF- 219 (The Cure - Alone & Unknown) for an enlightening show!

Episode: 218 - Genesis P Orridge

VHF-218 (Genesis P. Orridge) scratches the surface of the late and highly prolific English musician and philosopher’s musical collaborations. He she they seemingly lived every moment as if it were a grand performance art project or perhaps even an elaborate magical ritual. 
Pretty much inventing the concept of Industrial Music, Genesis, along with Peter (Sleazy), Chris and Cosey blew minds when they named their group Throbbing Gristle. The English music scene of 1977 had something of an existential crisis when Throbbing Gristle created mind altering sound collages out of bits of chopped up tape loops and processed news clips. Off kilter vocals weaved in and out of songs like a radio with a bad antenna. With songs like E-Coli and Hamburger Lady it was apparent that  this was no Pink Floyd Experience or Grateful Dead freakout. This was more like a Clockwork Orange future come true and it even scared the punks!
Like a lot of innovators the first incarnation of Throbbing Gristle called it quits after a few albums. Genesis created another group called Psychic TV that was more accessible but still full of Timothy Leary inspired lyrics espousing mind expanding consciousness. The message was now all about love and making it a good trip and living in a good vibration.
Genesis also jammed with a couple of the members of Skinny Puppy on their side project Download. Very High Frequencies will be playing a few of those trippy tracks too featuring Dwayne R. Goettel and cEvin Key.
This episode is just a bit of the yin and yang of Genesis P. Orridge. Occasionally annoyingly harsh and also capable of pitch perfect harmonizing on melodic pop songs, it’s a wild ride this episode of Very High Frequencies. You have been warned!

Ep[isode: 217 - Adrian Belew

Very High Frequencies is excited that  Adrian Belew is touring North America. With the blessing of Robert Fripp Adrian is performing songs from the first three King Crimson albums he contributed to, Discipline (1980), Beat (1982), and Three Of A Perfect Pair (1984).  
Calling the touring band Beat after a discussion with Robert, the band features along with Adrian, the bass legend Tony Levin reprising his role. Bill Bruford declined the offer so drumming duties are handled by Tool’s Danny Carey. Robert Fripp’s tight shoes will be filled by guitar wizard Steve Vai.
To celebrate this tour VHF is playing songs throughout Adrian’s impressive career.  Studio, live and rare covers demonstrate the genius of Adrian Belew.  Tune in to VHF-217 for an evening of excellent musicianship and top shelf entertainment!

Episode: 216 Adam Grossman - Skrew / Angor Wat

Episode: 215 Porcupine Tree

Episode: 214 Black Flag

VHF-214 (Black Flag - Punk In The USA) is a mosh pit stew of angst and fury. Get swept up into the eye of the hurricane as we blast through classic after classic of the band’s repertoire. Short anthems lasting less than a minute manage to make quite an impression in a very little while. Longer tracks have a metallic edge. Essential cuts like Nervous Breakdown, Fix Me, Six Pack, TV Party, Annihilate This Week, Drinking and Driving, Wasted, Gimme Gimme Gimme, My War, Police Story, In My Head and Nothing  Left Inside will absolutely  pulverize your mind! 
Guitarist Greg Ginn and his various cohorts and casualties made a hell of a lot of noise. From 1976 to 1985 no band toured more or worked harder. Check out Henry Rollin’s excellent book Get In The Van to really get an idea of just how crazy and intense the punk scene was back in the eighties.
Very High Frequencies- 214 (Black Flag - Punk In The USA) shares a little bit of their legacy. Warning, high volume listeners may find yourself fist bumping and wailing on your favorite air guitar! It’s time to Rise Above!

Episode: 213 English Undead - UK Post Punk Goth Live

VHF-213 (English & Undead - UK Post-Punk & Goth Live) presents seven UK bands performing live. 
We have some early eighties legends such as Echo & The Bunnymen playing in Albert Hall in London in 1984. The group was accompanied by additional musicians on various stringed instruments to make the live versions of their songs sound more lush and engaging.
Post-Punk icons Joy Division aren’t known as a live band but they did actually perform quite a bit, it’s just that Ian Curtis committed suicide at the sadly young age of 23. The band only released one full length album during his lifetime. Thankfully we can revisit the band in 1978 playing at The Factory in Manchester. Before New Order began dominating dance floors and DJ booths Joy Division electrified audiences with a raw energy. Very High Frequencies selected a few highlights for your listening pleasure.
Bauhaus in NYC in 1999 was a celebration of the music and the legacy of the band. Few groups can sound like they are exploring magical realms like Bauhaus. From Hollow Hills to She’s In Parties the dub heavy tribal percussion creates an atmospheric vibe that lays the foundation for Danny’s wailing guitar and Peter’s mournful lament. Theatrical and romantic as well as morbid and emotional. Powerful incantations manifest themselves. 
The Sisters Of Mercy often covered their heroes, both well known and obscure. This episode we check out a couple of their finest tributes to The Stones and Bob Dylan along with a deep cut from the early days.
Siouxsie and the Banshees also cover a sixties song, All Tomorrow’s Parties by the Velvet Underground. And we have a couple of their own songs live that demonstrate how much of a range the band had.
Skulls, spider webs and fog! It’s Bat Cave creepshow Alien Sex Fiend, possibly the most punk and the most Goth band of this week’s episode. Totally bonkers in the fine tradition of English Madmen Nic Fiend and his lovely wife Mrs. Fiend and the crew are absolutely oozing with a throbbing propulsion. It ain’t always pretty luv but it’s frightfully real!
The Cure really need no introduction other than to point out how heavy, bleak and goth they were way back in 1981. It’s a funeral party and everyone is gonna dance. Well, almost everyone.
VHF-213 (English & Undead - UK Post-Punk & Goth Live) proves that these musical pioneers were able to blow away audiences with their live performances. Cheers!