Fat Tuesday Fundraising Special!

This week Thump and Growl becomes PLUMP and Growl as we salute the day with a T&G Fat Tuesday music mix celebrating all things embonpoint. The custom compilation is our gift to you for pledging your support to WBAI. Tune in live and pledge to help keep the freeform sounds of independent radio alive. Aaaaand to snag your Fat Tuesday CD. It's gonna be SO FAT.

Participating artists include:

Root Boy Slim
Eddie Mack
G Love
Savannah Churchill
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Dirty Dubsters
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Alana Bridgewater
Roy Milton
Richard Cheese
Mississippi Gabe Carter
Candye Kane
Troy Underwood
The D.A.
Kermit Ruffins
The MarchFourth Marching Band
Oojami

Thump and Growl (and jiggle)
Tuesday, February 21st
10am-noon Eastern
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC
and streaming at http://stream.wbai.org/

Call (212) 209-2950 during the show to pledge, and when the phone volunteer asks whether I may read your name on the air, give 'em a big, fat yes.

NEW: Can't call in during the show? You now may pledge for the premium at http://www.give2wbai.org/product_p/oc0486.htm

If you'd like to make an online donation which doesn't involve a thank-you gift, you may do so by going to http://wbai.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9898&Itemid=154 and selecting your desired amount, then from the pull-down menu, hit "Thump and Growl."

Thanks, Peeps!

Occupy the Couch

Who has two thumbs and is the new NYC coordinator for Occupy Wool Street? Me, that's who. (You'll just have to trust me about the thumbs.)

Occupy Wool Street is a Chicago-based campaign encouraging knitters, crafters, and designers to make hats, scarves, gloves, blankets, and such to help OWS protesters better endure the cold weather. The effort not only provides a valuable service for the movement, but also allows the participation of those who'd like to join the protest, but are unable to be there physically.

WBAI's Wall Street studios serve as the collection point, receiving both mailed packages and by-hand deliveries for distribution at Zuccotti Park and other protest points throughout NYC. For drop-offs, call (212) 209-2800 M-F 9:00-5:00 and have your name added to the security list, then bring photo ID with you. Otherwise mail gear to:

WBAI
120 Wall St., 10th floor
NY, NY 10005
attn: WOOL


FAQ:

Q - Does the fiber used to make the items need to be wool?
A - Nah. As long as it's clean and not animal fur.

Q - I have many wonderful qualities, but I don't knit or crochet or sew or anything. Does it need to be something I made myself?
A - Not really. I don't knit or crochet either, so I'm thinking of taking this opportunity to learn. But I'll likelier just be hitting up Etsy.

Q - Is this tax deductible?
A - Nope. But think of the warm fuzzy (see what I did there?) feeling you'll have, knowing you've put a lid on the noggin of a cold protester.

Q - I desperately, desperately want to do more. How can I do more? Hurry! Tell me! Quick!
A - You can help spread the word. There's an Occupy Wool Street Facebook page you can like and share. Plaster Tumblr with us. Tweet 'til you're sore. Noodge your crafty hipster friends. Harass your nanna. Host an OWS needle party (not the heroin kind, though.) Got a rooftop you can safely climb atop for shouting purposes?

Q - Is there some secret you've not yet told us?
A - Why, yes, there is. If you'd like to use a stitch or a safety pin to attach a personal note of encouragement to the protester who'll be wearing your handiwork, or even a photo of yourself, we'll be extra super double careful not to knock it off.

Q - I have questions, but I'm trapped under a heavy piece of furniture and can't get to the internets right now. What should I do?
A - First, yell for someone to come help you. Thank them profusely, 'cause folks is busy, y'know. Then later, send your questions to thumpandgrowl@gmail.com


Fight the power! With fuzzy mittens!

UPDATE 2/2/2012: WBAI and I would like to thank everyone who participated in Occupy Wool Street by creating, donating, and spreading the word. It's been an overwhelming success, with many more submissions than we ever imagined we'd get. Because of the volume of donations already received, and the changing logistics of the local Occupy Wall Street protests, we've decided to start winding it down now, rather than next month. Items we currently have on hand will still be distributed to the protesters, as will any currently in transit. If you're now working on something for the project, you may still send it in, if you like. Everything will find a worthy host.

Again, many thanks to all who took part. It's been heartening to see handmade hats, scarves, gloves, and such coming in from all over the country, including from the Occupy Berkeley Solidarity Knit-Ins, and one gentleman in the Bronx who himself knitted two or three boxes of beautiful cold weather gear.

Thank you all.

Sad news. With lots of parenthesis.

Looks like WPKN and I have parted ways, Folks. The "older episodes" link down on the right takes you to the archives of my Monday afternoon shows at 'PKN, and I'll leave the link in place until the last of 'em expire (they remain available for a year). And you can always catch me on WBAI, 99.5 FM in NYC, Tuesdays 10-noon (about to celebrate the show's first anniversary). The more fleeting archives of my show there (available for two weeks only) are at http://archive.wbai.org/show1.php?showid=Tues10amNoon .

Met a lot of great people at WPKN, both programmers and listeners. Y'all stay in touch.

Candye Kane in the Studio

Feathery Blues chanteuse Candye Kane will be my guest in the studio Tuesday the 23rd, joined by pianist Sue Palmer and guitar motherfucker Laura Chavez. We'll be hearing some stuff from her new release Vagabond Sister, as well as her self-penned stage play, The Toughest Girl Alive, being performed this month at Le Poisson Rouge as part of the Fringe Festival. I imagine we'll also be talking about homophobes, porn, and and fierce fat women.

Tuesday, August 23, 10:00-noon
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC
and streaming live at www.stream.wbai.org

Jimmy Scott Birthday Special!

Championed by such credmeisters as Lou Reed, Charlie Parker, Doc Pomus, Lionel Hampton, and Redd Foxx (!), Jazz balladeer Jimmy Scott survived unbridled tragedies to have not one but two distinct and separate music careers. In between the two? Waited tables at Bob's Big Boy. Tune in as we celebrate the 86th birthday of a man who wasn't expected to see 16. While you're at it, support WBAI and get a copy of Milestone Profiles: Jimmy Scott. An album guaranteed to snap your heart right in two.

This'll be your only opportunity to support Thump and Growl this Summer, so I hope you'll join us live!

Tuesday, July 12
10am-noon
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC and streaming live at wbai.org

Danke Very Mucho

Many thanks to all who called in and pledged their support for Thump and Growl last week. You/We are getting mightier with every fundraising show. And big ups to the artists and labels who donated use of their songs for the Volume 2 compilation premium. These things are getting increasingly less excruciating. For me, anyway.

One more fundraising episode in the Spring drive: Tune in Tuesday, May 24th 10-noon, when Thump and Growl celebrates Dylan's 70th Birthday by getting under the covers with Bob. We've got some tasty pledge premiums for ya in the night stand drawer.

The Best of Thump and Growl, Vol. 2

Fresh from the oven and available only this Tuesday morning! With songs gathered from all around the globe (and North Carolina), The Best of Thump and Growl, Vol. 2 is your thank you gift for supporting Thump and Growl, WBAI, and independent radio. This bad boy features tunes by:

Shawn Mullins
Ana Tijoux
Olu Dara
Hip Hop Hoodios
Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real
Marijata
Southern Culture on the Skids
Nicolas Jaar
Bedsit Poets
The Sway Machinery with Khaira Arby
Kent Coda
Big Ben and the Royal Family
Charles Wilp
Calambuco
Jupiter & Ma Shi Fai
Yukari Roja

Tuesday, May 10, 10-noon
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC
and streaming live at www.wbai.org

Call 212-209-2950 to pledge. And when the phone volunteer asks whether I can read your name on the air, say hellz yeah, why don't ya?

Coming up...

Honey Brother, wildly clever songwriter, and tearer-upper of slide banjo Andrew Vladeck will be joining me in the studio for a smidge of talk and a lot of playing in support of his upcoming release, Passing Knowledge. (EP's just released, full-length is forthcoming.) I might even ask him about touchy-feely stuff. Nah. Probably not.

Tuesday, April 26th, 10:00-noon
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC
streaming live at www.wbai.org

What do Glenn Beck, Kathie Black, the federal government, and Kimberly Massengill all have in common?

Last week I requested and was granted a leave of absence from WPKN. Program Director Rod Richardson was a mensch about it, and assured me my time slot would be held until my return. I wanna thank my Connecticut and Long Island listeners in advance for their patience and support, and invite them to tune in to my NYC show in the meantime. Tuesdays 10-noon on WBAI 99.5 FM, streamed and archived at http://www.wbai.org/. There'll also be a fragrant and varied bouquet of 'PKN hosts filling in for me there (preesh, Folks!), so please check them out, as well. Hope everybody has a pleasant, government-free weekend.