Multifariosity and Moving Pictures

Thump and Growl is back! (Kiiiinda.)

It’s been two months since WBAI cancelled my show, and I’ve not yet given much thought to where Thump and Growl will land. Girl’s been busy. I can, however, announce the launch of something I’m feeling wicked squealy about. Video network Waywire.com has installed me as curator of their new Genre Whiplash Channel.

Video has limitations radio doesn’t, and vice versa. I’ll be navigating those trade-offs, creating what I hope will feel like a visual version of my radio show, though more easily sharable, more reliably archived, and customizable in that you can repeat songs you dig, and skip songs you don’t. You’ll even be seeing my chirpy-ass visage from time to time. (It’s in my contract.) (The visage part, not the chirpy.) And consider the math…

<>  Percentage of the gig I can perform whilst wearing only my undiepants: 97%

<>  Number of “jerks at work”: 0 (unless you count me)

<>  Days per year I’ll have to set the alarm for ungodly:30 in the am, climb over snowbanks with wet hair, and ride a bus and two trains at least one of which will smell like balls, all before I’m even fully awake: < 11

<>  Months annually spent fundraising: Zero. You heard me.

<>  Number of Carlin words I can use without the FCC fining my employer: All of ‘em. Every motherfucking one.

I’ve already been working for Waywire since last Fall, as curator of the Body Image Channel, and they’re good people. Competent, professional, innovating grown-ups, wielding the tools of the 21^st century. And they’re paying me to do something I’d be doing anyway.

Will I still find Thump and Growl a new radio home? Dunno. We’ll see. If so, I can do both. I have the strength of ten men, y’know.

Many thanks to the friends who’ve inspired some of these inclusions, including Rich, Reesh, Kwame, Rebecca, Hans, Leon, Joy, Peter, Mark, and probably Bob. Also most likely Jay. And almost certainly David.

Come peruse the channel and say hey, why don’t ya? Then return for freshly added videos daily(ish). New stuff, old stuff, trippy stuff, rarities. I’m already having an alarming amount of fun.

http://genrewhiplash.waywire.com

Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/genrewhiplash

3/26/2015 

1/22/2015

So. The final show has been nixed.

I got an email Tuesday evening informing me that WBAI is really really super quite double extra jolly well done with me. “We wanted to give you another two shows to say goodbye to your listeners but that does not seem to be in the best interest of the station.” I wrote back asking if I might be given a reason. That was two days ago, and still no response, so I guess it ends with a whimper, Kids. No farewell show and no archives of my last. I imagine at some point I’ll be glad this happened. But right now gratitude is not what I’m feeling.

Except for you. Thank you to the producers, program directors, and WBAI staffmembers who’ve encouraged me through this. A special thanks to listener Lisa Sabath for launching the petition to keep me at ‘BAI, and thank you to all who’ve signed it. Many deep-dish thanks to the listeners who’ve supported Thump and Growl on WBAI for more than four years, even as that became increasingly difficult to do. And to those who’ve energetically fought the show’s cancellation? Oof. I can’t thank you enough. Those who’ve posted, messaged, and emailed me in recent weeks have made me laugh, made me cry, have blown sunshine up my skirt when I’ve felt beaten down, and told me things I wish I’d known sooner (!). Some of you have applied poetry, philosophy, and psychiatric expertise to the situation (who knew I had so many therapists and MSWs listening?), and a couplefew of you have already contacted me about bringing Thump and Growl to your stations. Thank you to the folks who followed me to ‘BAI from WPKN, and especially to the weirdos who’ve been following me since my years in commercial radio.

I can’t *not* do radio. I’ve tried. Chasing people in the street and forcing my earbuds into their noggins is unsanitary. And not as welcomed as you’d think. But this is a busy time (in my non-radio life), so it’ll be weeks before I can begin to sort out where to take the show. After doing radio for a good chunk of the last 20+ years, there are things I’ve always wanted to do but have never been able to. 1) Do shows in my undiepants, and 2) selectively but freely employ the Carlin words which pepper my off-air conversation and musical choices. So I may be looking for a new gig with these noble aspirations in mind. Or not. Dunno.

If you’d like to be notified when I land somewhere, you may wanna join the Thump and Growl Facebook group and/or send your email address to thumpandgrowl “at” gmail “daght” com and I’ll make an email list.

I was looking for a photo on my phone this morning and ran across this one, the last one taken in that studio, shot a couple of weeks ago. This is what I saw when I looked up the email informing me the 27^th would be my last Tuesday morning with you. Is it me, or is this pic an absolute Beatles album of symbolism? Maybe it’s just me. But it’s hilariously apt, no?

Thanks for everything, Peeps. I love the fuck outta yuzz. Stay tuned.

~ Kimberly

OPERATION DISTRACT MARIO

A’ight, Peeps. As you may have heard, Thump and Growl has been canceled, and the final episode is scheduled for January 27th. I’m immeasurably sad about it, and you’d better be, too. Be sad, okay?

You may be asking how you can help. Riiiight?

1)  Email interim Program Director Mario Murillo at marioradio@wbai.org. He’s already posted that address on the site, so I’m assuming it’s cool. But be nice or he’ll jolly well give you what for. As well he should. He’s graciously been answering those of you who’ve written, so who knows? Write and tell him about your favorite trans lesbian Belgian-Nigerian politi-funk band you learned about on Thump and Growl.

2)  Sign the petition. Yup. There’s a petition. Listener Lisa Sabath has launched one to let management know the show means something to the undersigned. Go be an undersigned, why don’t ya? It’s at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/we-want-thump-and-growl-with-kimberly-massengill

3)  Join the Thump and Growl Facebook group. That’s where you’ll find news about the future of the show (or lack thereof). And the real-time playlists happen there, too. That’s also the best place to communicate with the show’s host. (That’s me.)  You can use the group without joining, but joining will get you notifications. Dooo eeeet. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThumpAndGrowl/

4)  Distract Mario. Okay, hear me out. The Mon-Thurs morning music strip is being replaced with more call-in talk shows, and ‘Thump and Growl’ has already been replaced with ‘Talkback’ in the archives. HOWEVER. Mario reports he’s not yet locked in the new hosts for Monday and Tuesday, and if he’s unable to do that before his term concludes (end of the month-ish), we may be allowed to remain! Am I too proud to accept a default win? Obviously not! So here are some suggestions for Operation Distract Mario:

<>  Ask him detailed questions about science or math. Or god. Oooh, if you can incorporate all three into a single time-suck query, I’ll be your best friend forever.

<>  Challenge him to a long-distance bike un-race. That’s where whomever can go the slowest without toppling over, wins. I recommend some remote, bucolic route where there will be no aspiring radio hosts encountered along the way.

<>  Fresh baked goods, still warm from the oven. He might be one o’ them no-carb people, so prepare an alternate distribution plan, so’s the goodies don’t go to waste.

<>  Ask him to grab his recorder and follow you to where Jimmy Hoffa is awaiting his exclusive interview. Then forget where Jimmy Hoffa is awaiting his exclusive interview.

<>  Compliment his hair. Like, non-stop. Make it clear it’d be rude if he walked away before you’re finished complimenting him. Then just keep at it.  A follicular filibuster! I mean let’s be real. He’s got spectacular hair, yes?

<>  “Look! Up in the sky! Super Green Double Helix Chemtrails!”

That’s all I can think of right now. I guess I’m better at *being* distracted than I am at disctracting others. Keep it safe and polite,and don’t forget to tune in to the final two shows, January 20th & 27th, 10-noon. The archives haven’t been working, so if y’wanna listen, y’might wanna do it live.

And thanks in advance, Peeps. I’m rootin’ for music. How ‘bout you? Happy distracting!

Bread and Roses,
Kimberly Massengill

Tuesday, December 10, 2013
10-noon
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC
and streaming live at http://stream.wbai.org/

Huzzah!

The preemptions, partial preemptions, schedule changes, whining, begging, cajoling, etc. have all ended! Thump and Growl has returned to Tuesdays 10-noon. For now. Tune in, why don't ya?

Sad Programming Change

Unfortunate news from the "War is hell... even on music" department: We've just been told that due to the US action against Syria, weekday music programming at WBAI will be cut down to 11-noon beginning this Monday, Sept 9th, with the suggestion that the morning music strip may be on its way out altogether.

Due to the fact that we'll now be following a rebroadcast of something which aired hours earlier, and this will happen without an opportunity to announce the change to our listeners, I imagine my audience will drop to, well, the trusty handful who're reading this message. But I'll continue to ride the bucking bronco that is 'BAI as long as I can. Even though the buck-speed has been turned up to eleven.

I still love the fuck outta the place.

Thanks, as always, for your support, Folks. If you're interested in keeping up with my radio future (or lack thereof), I strongly urge you to join the Thump and Growl Facebook group. I'm now gonna sit down with a bag of sweet pea crisps, put on my headphones, and listen to the entire Cake discography in chronological order and at tremendous volume, and hope this has all disappeared by the end.
 
 

The Best of Thump and Growl, Volume 5

The Summer Fund Drive episode of Thump and Growl (complete with cliffhanger) is happening July 30th, where our gift to you for supporting WBAI will be The Best of Thump and Growl, Volume 5! New to the show, or just now recovering from a two-and-a-half-year long dialing finger injury? Don't fret. You'll be able to snag volumes 1 through 4, as well. Artists are daily being added to the line-up. Don't miss this one, mmmkay? 65% of life's mysteries will be answered on Tuesday the 30th, 10-noon.

Thump and Growl Summer Fundraiser
10-noon, Tuesday, July 30, 2013
WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC and streaming at http://wbai.org

UPDATE: I'm still tracking down musicians, many of whom are hiding like truffles. Participating artists so far include Red Baraat, The Coup, Kate Nash, Luna, Lilacs & Champagne, Maia Vidal, OK Star Orchestra, The Cannanes, Greg Brown, Kaleidoscope Jukebox, Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra, and my new favorite band Blue Gene, who wanted to know how the hell I found ‘em. Deets are still being worked out with some other big probablies.

~ Kimberly

PS: I call dibs on the future band name Big Probablies. 

Fall Fund Drive Episode With Thrilling Cliffhanger!

Bursting with the tastiest from recent episodes, The Best of Thump and Growl, Volume 4 includes tracks by:

The Mutts

Allah-Las

Hearts of Darkness

Menahan Street Band

Washed Out

Tinariwen

Marco Benevento

Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra

Darondo

Hugh Masekela and the Union of South Africa

Phantoms

Hot Peas and Butta feat. Big Pimp Jones

Magnolia Electric Co.

Sixth Finger, Beat Inc.

Charles Walker Band

Mighty Tiny

Quantic and his Combo Barbaro

But wait!  This volume includes not one pimp, but two!  (No foolin'.)  NOW how much would you pay?  The CD is our gift to you for your pledge of 50 bucks or more.  And for the first time, we're offering volumes 1-4, a 5-disc set, bundled for a pledge of $125.  You wanna know stuff other people don't know, right?  Plus, there's a live drawing for concert tickets, CDs, and wicked-ass attire.

Thump and Growl Fall Fundraising Show
10-noon, Tuesday 10/2/2012
WBAI 99.5 fm in NYC
and streaming at http://wbai.org
Pledge Line: (212) 209-2950

Tune in, call up, plunk down.

Saluting Mark Sandman on his 60th

Morphine's Mark Sandman would've hated to have his 60th Birthday recognized.  But Thump and Growl is doing it anyway.  With music from Morphine's discography and Sandman's solo work, as well as from incarnations which came both before and after: Treat Her Right, Orchestra Morphine, Jeff Robinson Trio and Dana Colley, Bourbon Princess, Twinemen, Ever-Expanding Elastic Waste Band, Either/Orchestra, A.K.A.C.O.D., and others launched or influenced by Sandman's career. We'll also hear some unreleased material and a Morphine cover or two.  That'd really piss him off.

Thump and Growl
10-noon, Tuesday, 9/18/2012
WBAI 99.5 fm in NYC
and streaming live at wbai.org