12 Apr 2006

Plumbers around Europe (VI): Keep the radio on

It's time for radio.

From out of nowhere, Bad Hair Day (Per Gessle's demo project) is back. This time around a The Lonely Boys song is released - “Keep the Radio On (This is the Perfect Song)”. Per also reveals that the next SOAP single will be out in Sweden soon; “I Like it Like That” with a b-side named “Plumber in Progress #2”.

Junk Musik owners (Christoffer Lundquist, Jens Jansson, Magnus Börjeson, David Birde and Anders Mildner) have chosen their 17 favourite songs for a radio session.

Meanwhile, Per Gessle will present some of his favorite songs on the Hitradio Ö3 show “Freundeskreis” (“Circle of Friends”), April 22. This is Gessle's playlist:
  • The Kinks - Till The End Of The Day
  • Balloon Farm - A Question Of Temperature
  • Tom Petty - Free Fallin’
  • Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love
  • Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York
  • Wreckless Eric - The Whole Wide World
If you need more radio, wait until the end of the month. “Nordic Rox,” a new program debuting April 30 on U.S.-based Sirius Satellite Radio, will be produced under the creative guidance of Per Gessle. The program will be hosted and programmed by Radio Stockholm on-air personality Viktor Petrovski, a prominent figure in the Swedish music scene. Also contributing to the program will be the lead singer of The Hives, Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, and highly respected ABBA historian Carl Magnus Palm (on behalf of ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus). Gessle said, “I’m very honored to be part of presenting Swedish and Scandinavian music outside our borders. The music scene in Sweden is certainly very creative and it will be a pleasure to present the best of it to the listeners of Sirius Satellite Radio. Pump up the volume!” Nordic Rox will place a spotlight on the quality and depth of Scandinavian artists and music, which have never been exposed in this manner in the US. The show will also be the first place in the US to hear exciting new music emanating from Sweden and Scandinavian countries.



Today, we can proudly present: JUNK RADIO. For two months, we will be podcasting some of our favourite songs – placed in neat categories to suit special occassions in life. The first one is our party podcast, made to celebrate that Junk turns 1 year this month. The guideline for choosing songs was: This is a song that I want to hear after drinking three pints of beer. Well, here's the result. Enjoy!


1) Annie - Chewing Gum

What better way to start? Disco from the Norwegian mountains!


2) Scritti Politti - Perfect Way

Every party should have at least one of these!
Magnus Börjeson (Junk Musik)
Magnus Börjeson - Junk Musik



3) Dennis Wilson – ”River Song”

Dennis Wilson was the drummer and chief-of-drunkness in The Beach Boys. He was never viewed as serious – not even when his only solo record, Pacific Ocean Blue, was released in 1977. For everyone, except a small circle of devoted fans, this is not only a lost record – it’s a lost record even in the category of lost records. Of course, the fans view it as one of the best records of all time. For me, this is fantastic music. It makes me happy everytime I listen to it. This record is also one of Ed Harcourts big favourites (and influences, which is quite obvious when you listen to all of the songs on Pacific Ocean Blue).



4) The Walker Brothers – No Regrets

This is another song for spring mornings. Totally irresistible, naturally. This is taken from The Walker Brothers’ reunion in the 70’s. It was not viewed as one of Scott Walkers’ best records. Which is wrong, of course.
Chris Lundquist (Junk Musik)
Christoffer Lundquist - Junk Musik



My choices:

5) The Libertines – Up The Bracket
This is a band in the blessed stage where they can get away with anything. Nothing has to fit excactly, nothing has to be in perfect timing: it still sounds great. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to be in a band and conquer the world.


6) Paul Weller – Here’s The Good News

After being a big The Jam & The Style Council fan, it took 18 years before Paul Weller made a record I could relate to. I never thought it would make me so happy to hear him with this attitude again (and I never thought I would get the chance). It’s so nice to get lines like ”Millions march back on their feet / Still no sign from those who preach / Teach me not / They don´t represent me” after two decades of soul-ish searching. And it’s a good bar room song, too.
Anders Mildner (Junk Musik)
Anders Mildner




7) Queen - Don’t Stop Me Now.

God has bad teeth, a hairy back, a large moustache, a growing baldness and his name is Freddie Mercury. The way he struts across the stage in minimal tennis shorts and bare feet (the locker room-outfit), showcasing every imaginable gay cliché in front of a ten thousand-headed ultra straight, beer-gulping, denim-clad audience and actually gets away with it must have done more for The Gay Lib Front than however many Rainbow Parades and Jonas Gardells you can think of. I could go on forever about his godlike genius but I won’t. “Don’t Stop Me Now” is one of Queens finest moments and it makes me want to dance on the bar, order pints of vodka for everybody and grow a big fat black moustache.


8) R. Kelly - In The Closet

The Devil has a silk smooth voice, fancy clothes and is rumoured to have a thing not only for underage girls but also for a certain type of “lovemaking” that includes the kind of bodily fluids that most sensible people have agreed to flush down the toilet. His name is R. Kelly and though I am neither a friend of illegal sexual antics nor modern R’n'B, I was completely blown away when I heard his epic “In The Closet”. Twelve parts, each one accompanied by an ambitious story-video, is the ultimate proof that insanity and genius walk hand in hand. The suite is 38 minutes long and a well-deserved smack in the face to me and everyone else who think that The Who’s “Tommy” is the peak of epic pop music. Slip into your silky robe, pour a Dry Martini, listen to Closet Pt 1 and you will surely realise that it’s never too late to find at least a little sympathy for the Devil.

David Birde (Junk Musik)
David Birde - Junk Musik



9) Beyoncé - Crazy In Love

Mr Z and Mrs Knowles are crazy in love. I am too.


10) The KLF - 3 A.M. Eternal

3 AM Eternal. KLF is gonna rock us, they say. They do.

Jens Jansson (Junk Musik)
Jens Jansson - Junk Musik



This is our second Junk Radio Podcast! Our theme today is ”Morning Songs”. Here is our collection of tunes that are perfect for any morning (Junk Radio VI, VII and VIII). Get out of bed & enjoy. (…and yes, we pay our license fee for this)


11) Skatalites – ”Skalloween”



Skatalites is one of my favourite ska bands and ska is one of the best treats a morning can offer. Anyone who turns this one up a few notches will not be able to sit still – or have a gloomy breakfast.


12) Supergrass – ”St. Petersburg”



I want two things from music when I wake up: a topic and a beat. I want to start a new day listening to someone who believes in something. I wouldn’t go for ”Oh my god, everything is falling apart and I feel so bad”, which I can find myself listening to in the afternoons (go figure). ”St. Petersburg” is an excellent breakfast tune, taken from a really great record (last year’s ”Road to Rouen”). It’s a song about moving on in life and it’s soooo nicely done. It starts slow, like a train, and continues to grow. They add some strings and a fine solo. After three minutes you are left with a feeling that this day will hold some great promises.

13) World Party – ”Here Comes The Future”

The last in a row of charming blends of lo-fi Prince and guitar pop-offerings from Karl Wallinger. I have no idea what he is up to these days, but this song can make anyone smile at their morning cappuccino. I like to hear words like ”We can make it happen” when I wake up.
Anders Mildner (Junk Musik)
Anders Mildner



14) Klaatu - Calling occupants of interplanetary craft


This song is totally stupid from beginning to end, but it’s actually a great wake up song. I don’t know anything about this band, but I really like this…



15) Teenage Fanclub - Verisimilitude


I don’t think I would have bought this album when it was released, but we (Brainpool & Teenage Fanclub) were on the same label and one morning at the office I got it for free. Sony did a lot for us, but this was the best!

Jens Jansson (Junk Musik)
Jens Jansson - Junk Musik



16) Buddy Holly – Everyday

…and every morning too



17) Charles Trenet - ”La Mer”


You’ve probably heard this one before, sung in English by Bobby Darin (or even Robbie Williams). This is the French original. Performed in true dramatic style with rolling “R”s and everything by the one and only Charles Trenet. My school boy French has it’s obvious shortcomings so I can’t make a detailed account for the lyrics. But…it’s something to do with The Sea and Life, cause it’s starts out with a whispered “La Mer” and ends with a grand “La Vie”. That’s good enough for any song, any morning.

Magnus Börjeson (Junk Musik)
Magnus Börjeson - Junk Musik

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