Deconstructing X - September 3: Labour Day
This weekend is the last long weekend of the summer...and...well I guess we had a summer. I don't know, I mean the kids are still on March Break as far as I know. It's so confusing.
But yes. Monday is Labour Day...defined as a public holiday or day of festivities held in honor of working people So this week's show is all about work, jobs, careers, yada.
Deconstructing X - August 20: Summer Blockbuster Jams - The 80's
A few weeks ago we were talking about the summer blockbuster movies we grew up with.
Similarly, the summer was also a time of new singles, many of which became soundtracks of our summer memories, were in heavy rotation on the Top 40 stations or became part of the background noise that would be blasting when we'd go to the CNE or other local fairs.
Originally I was going to combine the 80's and the 90's into one show but there was just so many tracks, we're breaking them into two parts.
So tonight, we're all about the 80's, and the summer singles we grew up on.
Deconstructing X - June 30: Dog Days of Summer
At this time of year, just before dawn you may notice a very bright, madly twinkling star in the east low on the horizon. That is Canis Majoris aka Sirius, the first hint of the seasons swinging toward fall. For over 2 thousand years, this rising of Sirius has been associated with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. In short it's the most uncomfortable part of summer.
My friends, we have entered the Dog Days of Summer. And to celebrate, tonight's show is going to the dogs. Bands, songs, you get the picture.
Deconstructing X - December 19: Holiday Open House
Growing up, there were certain Holiday staples when it came to our television viewing. The movies, the cartoons and the "variety specials" Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. 1977, Benji's Very Own Christmas Story. 1978, and of course Anne Murray.
The thing is though, these were all recorded in the middle of the summer...fake snow, fake Christmas, fake sentiment...well tonight we're going to do it right...this is the totally live, Deconstructing X holiday open house.
Over the next couple of hours, I've gotten past my trust issues and unlocked the front door to let anyone in who just wants to hang out. we'll play some music and mayhaps have some stimulating conversation.
Now because I mentioned it last week, an old friend of the show has already dropped in tonight, our favourite officiant...Avril Ewing!
Deconstructing X - September 12: The Name Game w. Liam
I want to ask you something, were you given your name because of family tradition or because your parents wanted something distinctive and less traditional?
In my case, not only did my mom throw an extra L into my name which makes it a pain to find personalized mugs and fridge magnets, she also chose a name that didn't show favouritism to either side of the family. My middle name was common on both sides so everybody was happy.
Generation X was the first generation where traditions started to go out the window when it came to naming us.
So on that note, tonight we're talking about names. All of tonight's song titles feature a name. And who knows maybe you named your kid after one of these songs.
(BTW: Liam got his homework done early so I was really happy he got to join me)
Deconstructing X - September 5: The Timetable Show
So this week isn't just the launch of pumpkin spice everything but it's also the first week of school and reaching back to my high school reunion episode I recall that there are a lot of folks who are bit stuck back in high school and really miss those days.
Tonight, this show is dedicated to them.
In honour of a new school year...this show is a timetable. Each break will cover a specific subject. History, Geography, Science...that sort of thing and first up...songs and bands that have something to do with...English.
Now, it should be no surprize that many artists have been inspired by literature. Kate Bush did Wuthering Heights, Rage Against The Machine referenced Orwell's 1984 in Testify and Rush...geez their catalogue is heavily inspired by literature..Ayn Rand, Coleridge...The Hobbit...but because of that riff in our opening track by Barenaked Ladies...we're going to start our first set with a little ode to Mark Twain.
Deconstructing X - May 30: Food
One of the constants throughout our lives is food. There's the comfort food. The meals we shared with family. And there was food that traumatized you. And in the 70's and 80's in my house there were some traumatizing recipes but we can talk about that later.
So the show tonight is all about food. Songs with food in the title or bands with food in the name.
Food references in music can convey hidden meanings, double meanings or maybe they just like singing about their love of peaches...or the importance of listening to vegetables. We're going to explore all that tonight.
Deconstructing X - May 9: The Wedding Show
One of the things almost all Gen X'ers will have gone through by this point in our life is marriage. And on average about a third of us may already be out of that one and maybe looking to get married again.
Or maybe your kids are getting married at some point in the future.
So tonight we're chatting about all things weddings and the music our generation loves to get married to!
And returning to the show is my special guest, Avril Ewing who is a wedding officiant and celebrant in Port Hope.
Deconstructing X - May 2: The Side Project
A term that has become prominent these days is the side hustle. That's when you don't want to quit your day job but you want to make a little extra dosh after hours. In music this is nothing new.
Some musicians just love to always be creating something. Some artists need an outlet to experiment ...while others don't want to break up the band but want to have a little something on the side with another musician. Of course I'm talking about the side project. And that's what tonight's show is all about.
Deconstructing X - April 18: Demented Faves
Haydn's symphony 94...Mozart's Musical Joke...Court Jesters. For hundreds of years there have been serious, skilled musicians who use humour in music.
In the 80's I loved Sunday night radio. Chum FM ran three shows back to back that I can honestly say increased my love of broadcasting. Rick Hodge hosted the Sunday Funnies which were largely uncensored and which was awesome for an 11 year old kid. After that was Theatre of the Mind which frequently aired Black Museum with Orson Welles but to start off the Sunday night block there was this guy from Pasadena named Barret Hansen. Hansen was a connoisseur of novelty songs, comedy, strange or unusual recordings and his two hour show was one of the weirdest things I had ever heard. And I was hooked. For three years now I've been working up the guts to try out a show like this cuz I know you're either going to love it or hate it. So...here we go. Tonight. A tribute to the one and only Doctor Demento!
Deconstructing X - Apr 11: 3 Year Anniversary
Hello there..and welcome to another episode of Deconstructing X, the show where every week I sit here and play the music of and sometimes even talk about stuff that somehow remotely relates to that Generation known as X.
With me on this episode is my favourite cohost...Liam!
And the reason that Liam is here with me tonight is it is a very special occasion...this is episode 156 and although my math stinks...this is our three year anniversary!
So the theme...well...Liam and I are playing whatever the heck we want to tonight.
Deconstructing X - March 14
Something that's occurring more often today are what's called living funerals or living tributes...before a person dies. The gathering becomes a stage for people to share memories, sometimes songs, poems and lifetime achievement awards that express: thank you, I love you, I’ll remember you. And goodbye.
On this episode, we are gathered here to celebrate the life and pending demise of a 35 year old Canadian cultural icon. An endeavour described as “live, gloriously unpredictable, seat-of-the-pants TV” that was “delivered fresh daily to an entire generation of Canadians.”
I'm talking about Much Music.
Last week it was reported that the Nation's Music Station is now down to airing a lone, one-hour block of videos at lunch time. The writing is on the wall. YouTube has killed the Video Star.
So on the show tonight we are going to celebrate the life and times of Much Music.
Deconstructing X - March 7
With International Women’s Day on March 8th, I think not only should the show be all about female artists but with the quality and quantity of Canada’s own female talent during the 80’s and 90’s, it only makes sense to showcase and spotlight their voice tonight.
Deconstructing X - February 21: Karaoke Classics
Creeping into Ontario communities in the very early 90's, bars started hosting evenings where people who thought they sounded awesome in the shower could prove to everyone how well they could sing.
Or…more often...drunks who thought that they sounded awesome proved they did not.
Yes. Tonight we're talking about Japan's most popular export after Godzilla movies...Karaoke.
Deconstructing X - Feb. 14
It is February 14th and that means for some it's Thursday and for others it's Valentine's day. Now cynical me could have done an anti-love show again this year, but no.
This year it's slow dance mania…you might remember some of these tracks from highschool dances, mixtapes from your honey after your 3 month anniversary or heck one of tonight's tracks may have been the first dance from your wedding.
Deconstructing X - Jan 24: Space
2019 celebrates the first moon landing. So…music about space.
While many of us of Gen X weren’t born yet or were too young to remember, we felt the impact of the space race. And on January 28, 1986 the romantic fantasy of space exploration took a sudden and saddening turn.
Deconstructing X - Jan 31: Gen X At The Movies
This week we take a listen to the music from movie soundtracks. Sometimes the soundtrack was way better than the film itself.
WITH COLLIN WHITEHOUSE, THURSDAYS AT 7PM
The musical story of a generation. Each week Collin looks at the events that shaped the music and the music that shaped the events of that Jan Brady generation known as X.