Rich Reese's Posts


Rich Reese's Photo I'm a KDHX programmer and host of Pop! the Beat Bubble Burst on 88.1 FM every Thursday morning. My blog will cover topics related to the British Invasion, how it exploded, evolved and influenced sixties rock 'n' roll, folk rock, garage rock, psychedelia, glam and glitter rock, pub rock, power pop, jangle pop and much more. Visit me on Myspace and on Facebook.

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Tom Stephens To Share Some Faves on Pop! the Beat Bubble Burst

Since I became a programmer on KDHX just over a year ago one of the most rewarding things I’ve found is making a connection with a listener. Positive feedback comes in via the phone lines, through the KDHX e-mail or when you run into a one of those listeners at a show. When they let you know that what you do makes a difference to them you feel you’ve fulfilled a part of KDHX’s mission.

A few weeks into Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst I got an e-mail from Tom Stephens from St. Louis’s own hook-driven power popsters Tight Pants Syndrome. Tom expressed how much he liked the show and asked if I had heard of a particular artist. I followed the links to find Clovis Roblaine and then Nice Boys — both a perfect fit for the show. Or, he’d tell me if I play so and so, I’d probably like this or that band. After numerous tips I warned Tom that I’d have to rob a bank to get all this great music and that maybe he’d like to come down one morning and play guest deejay so we could share some of this stuff with the KDHX audience.

So Tom’s coming down this Thursday morning, September 3 from 5:00 am – 7:00 am CST, and we’ll get into a bunch of his favorites. Trust me: If you’re interested in the lesser known corners of British Invasion, sixties rock and power pop, this show will be right up your alley. Here’s some of what you might hear: Roll-Ups, Donuts, The Sweat, Wigs, Stanley Frank, Nice Boys, Strangeways, Radio City and Numbers.

Plus, it’s always fun to hear musicians when they’re up that early.

Bonus MP3 from Tight Pants Syndrome, “Waitin’ On a Signal,” recorded live at KDHX.

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Posted by | August 31, 2009 | KDHX, Music | Comment 

Trip Inside This House and Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst to swap hosts for one week

I can’t say for certain, but if I had to guess I would say that many programmers here at KDHX have a longing to fill in on other shows at the station. Hard to say how many, but I’d guess it may be somewhere in the neighborhood of 73%. I’ve heard fellow programmers on many occasions say, “Man, I’d love to fill in for so and so”. I must confess that I too have designs on many of my fellow programmers’ shows. I’ve already had the privilege of filling in for so many wonderful shows on KDHX; Afternoon Delight, Back Roads, Down Yonder, Emotional Rescue, Feel Like Going Home, International Pop Overthrow, Memphis To Manchester, Record Sto and The Underworld.

Recently, I was chatting with valis who brings 40 years of psychedelia to the airwaves every Tuesday morning from 5 -7am on Trip Inside This House. We had already expressed our mutual appreciation for each others’ shows and had said that if either needed a sub we’d call the other first. So, I’m not saying we’re like the Cal Ripkens of radio or anything, but neither one of us has ever missed a shift – I’ve got streak of 45 going and valis is right behind me with right around 40 or so. I know, I know that’s less than a year of shows each. So valis suggests we not wait for one of us to need a sub, that maybe we should just switch for one week – in fact we had each already begun putting together playlists so we’d be prepared when called upon. He’d do Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst and I’d do his Trip Inside This House. So, we ran it by the Management who agreed to let us do it this once.

I tend to like those occurrences when I hear a well-prepared, enthusiastic sub on one of my favorite shows – especially if it’s someone from another show I like. I really dig the blending of the two shows – keep the core from the show you’re subbing for, but try and mix in something of yourself that still falls within the parameters of that show. And that is what I will attempt to do on Trip Inside This House on Tuesday July 7th, and being familiar with valis’ show I know he has the knowledge and appreciation for what I do to keep listeners of Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst more than happy on Thursday, July 9th.

So tune in between 5 and 7am on July 7th and 9th to hear…Trip Inside This Beat Bubble House or…Pop! The Bubble House Tripped or…just tune in please.

Posted by | June 25, 2009 | KDHX, Music | Comment 

Summer of Sixty-Seven

Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942.  For the last 50 years or so he has been making music.  He spent approximately 1 decade making music with The Beatles and the remaining 40 or so without The Beatles.  Without going into the merits of his music with and without that band, it’s a pretty impressive portfolio he’s put together.

So, to celebrate Paul McCartney’s 67th birthday I have assembled many of the parts of that very diverse portfolio into a tidy two hour edition of Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst next week.  I’m not going to do a whole lot of talking, just tell you what I’m playing and let the music say whatever it has to say.

What can you expect?  A couple Beatles songs where Paul was the primary composer, some of his solo work and a couple with Wings. 

That leaves us with a handful of covers by some soul legends and some power pop bands.  The bulk of the show is made up of songs that were McCartney compositions which he or The Beatles never recorded; Badfinger, Peter & Gordon, The Everly Brothers…stuff like that, and we round out the show with songs by other bands or performers which Paul sings and or plays on; Denny Laine, Adam Faith and

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Steve Miller…

There are a few other things that will be fighting for air-time as well, maybe a mash-up or a fancy dj remix. 

I’m steering away from the classical and orchestral music Sir Paul has tried his hand at, but other than that listeners should get a fairly good slice of his multi-faceted career up to this point.

Posted by | June 11, 2009 | Culture, Music | Comment 

Women’s History Month Celebration

Another theme show for Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst? Well, yeah, but this is a good one. Not that the other theme shows I’ve done weren’t, but this will be cool. March is Women’s History Month so I will be spinning nothing but music sung by and (mostly) performed by women. The next two Thursdays, March 12 and 19 from 5am-7am.

Sixties Mersey Beat from Liverpool will be represented. The ladies kind of got shut out in 1962 when The Beatles and others like the Swinging Blue Jeans, Gerry and The Pacemakers and Bill J. Kramer and The Dakotas were making all the noise. So get set to hear Jeannie and The Big Guys, The Breakaways and Pat Harris and The Blackjacks, as well as other sixties gems…Mamas & The Papas, Sandy Denny singing with The Strawbs, Fairport Convention and The Bunch.

There seems to be somewhat slim pickens when it comes to female power poppers, but you can expect to hear Sam Phillips, Nushu, The Bangles and Suzanne Vega – all of whom qualify in my book.

Don’t be surprised to hear the voices of Maria McKee, Kirsty MacColl, Chrissie Hynde or Martha Wainwright either as they will all take their turn during the extravaganza.

Hope you can tune in to hear the amazing variety of music performed by women that fits into this little slice of Rock ‘N’ Roll called Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst.

Posted by | March 10, 2009 | Culture, KDHX, Music | Comment 

Celebrate Black History Month on Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst

When I first considered doing four shows on Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst I didn’t think I could pull together somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 hours of material of R&B, soul, blues and early rock ‘n’ roll covers done by artists I regularly play on PTBBB. I generally spin British Invasion, Mersey Beat, Power Pop, Pub rock, garage, folk rock and stuff that fills the cracks between those genres. Once I started getting material together I found that I had miscalculated — not only did I have plenty for four February shows, but I could easily do two more years of February shows and not repeat a single song.

It goes to show the enormous impact African Americans and their music have had on a wide range of genres and styles. It’s also given me an even greater appreciation for that music. I had to do a lot of research and fact checking when looking to see who wrote the songs, who sang them, who do we most associate with them. I’ve learned a lot and I hope to continue gathering content for future Black History Month celebrations — after all, isn’t that one of the reasons for Black History Month? To learn more, and understand more?

I have two shows in the can for the month (which can be heard for the next few weeks via the streaming audio archive at my program page) and two more planned for the February 19 and 26 shows. I hope you can tune in.

Posted by | February 12, 2009 | Culture, Music | 1 Comment 

Holsapple and Stamey on Superbowl Sunday

Photo by Roy Kasten

Photo by Roy Kasten

I can’t recall when I’ve been so entertained on Superbowl Sunday as I was this past Sunday. Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple were at Off Broadway and they made it easy to walk away from what was a pretty good football game. Anyway, the duo courteously delayed their show until the contest was decided.

No one will ever mistake Off Broadway for a sports bar with its single 12″ black and white TV set left over from around the Nixon administration – but no one expects it to be – it is expected to be a venue that continually brings in bands that are regularly played on our KDHX. In fact on any given day you just might hear from Peter or Chris. You might hear the legendary band they fronted back in the 80′s (The dB’s) or from their solo careers or maybe Peter with his most recent band The Continental Drifters, or it could be from the album they did as a duo. Oh and then there’s the long list of Chris Stamey’s production credits.

The twosome was in town for a house concert last Saturday night, an in house appearance at Euclid Records on Sunday afternoon and Off Broadway on Sunday night. It was apparent that this wasn’t just another stop of a long tour. There was no tour, just a few gigs in St. Louis and then back home to North Carolina. They were a little rough around the edges, but in a charming way that only added to the intimate setting with roughly 25 audience members who were able to converse easily with the performers between songs. Armed with just their acoustic guitars and a keyboard which Peter played for one song, they started off with more familiar songs from their Holsapple-Stamey “Mavericks” album. Peter Holsapple had to adjust his capo three times during their third song trying to find the correct key, but he was still able to add sublime harmonies which were on display all night. “Let’s try this one”, “I don’t really remember it”, “Come on let’s give it a shot” they would say to each other as they tried out songs that they hadn’t played live for years only to find they still could find and settle comfortable into the grooves. And did I mention the harmonies were magnificent?

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Posted by | February 3, 2009 | Concerts, Video/Film | 1 Comment 

The Beatles wish The King Happy Birthday

This coming Thursday morning on Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst from 5:00 am – 7:00 am CST I will be playing the links between The Beatles and Elvis Presley. The King would have been 74 years old. As I gathered material for the show I wondered if I would have enough for two hours – after all The Beatles never recorded a single Elvis song on any of their official releases — unless you count “Long Tall Sally,” but, with Paul McCartney doing his Little Richard imitation, you don’t really think of Elvis.

Why didn’t they record any of Elvis’s songs when they did so many covers by Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Little Richard and Larry Williams? Elvis was one of the reasons they got sucked into rock and roll. Maybe it was because they felt like Elvis sold out after returning from his stint in the Army. He was doing silly movies and his music was not the raw rockabilly that they adored.

So, anyway I pulled all the songs together for my show and came up with just enough. Most of the songs are from The Beatles’ solo careers, but there are a few from their BBC radio shows and before. They may have felt like he sold out, but they still had a lot of affection for Elvis and it shows by the fact that they kept coming back to that music.

Along with The Beatles and solo Beatles covering Elvis or songs that show a strong Elvis infuence, I’ll also play a couple Beatles songs that Elvis covered. Tune in…well, well, well, just because.

Posted by | January 4, 2009 | Music | 2 Comments 

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