Last night’s ds106 Listening Party was a blast & a half, and I was happy to see the idea taken in with such open arms. It’s a whole lot of nothing without the ds106 Radio misfits – can I call you misfits? How about heroes? – and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Knowing that a gaggle of people from a dozen different areas & periods in their lives are all gathering around their radios for a single purpose, and really bonding over that purpose in one way or another, is something I think this radio project does better than anything else.

Because there’s been a community crafted from air here, & it’s one full of respect, love, humor, & a shit-ton of brilliance. It also re-introduced me to Twitter, which I had banished into the annals of non-existence along with Facebook a while back. I see now the benefit in its structure: the open conversation, the constant dialogue, the easy back-&-forth of natural speaking. It’s quick & direct, and I’ve found my purpose for it, at least for now.

Anyway, ds106 LP #1 kicked the series off last night with The Rolling Stones’ Let It Bleed, a pick that I spent most of yesterday agonizing over. I wanted something with mass appeal & artistic worth as an entire album-as-package. I’ve always thought LIB was the Stones’ best album, and its structure as an album is the main reason for that. People seemed to really respond, and we came out with a few arguments & a few enthusiastic “Me too!”s. I loved it.

I’m going right into the second episode tonight, then, with LP #2: Violent Femmes. I’ll be starting at 6:30 pm MST (8:30 EST), due to a prior engagement later on the evening. The hope is to tackle such pressing questions as, “Is this song about cocaine or teen angst?” and “Where does one even buy a mariachi bass these days?” I hope to see you there.

Upcoming Listening Parties on the docket, if you like sneak previews, will be – and not in this order – Hounds of Love, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo, The Black Saint & the Sinner Lady, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, White Light/White Heat, and The Low End Theory.

It needn’t be said, but still, I love ds106 Radio, and I love you all.