Airwaves

by Brian Golslow

Coming up with an appropriate label for the new genre of hard music (metal, hardcore, or metal rap) may be impossible, so why not go with the obvious? Loud. That's what Rob McDade, whose two hours of high-energy rock rip through the airwaves of WCHC (88.1 FM) every Monday from 8 to 10 p.m., calls it. Since the station's metal enthusiasts correctly forecast the growing popularity of metal we've learned to trust them. Last Thursday, at Sir Morgan's Cove, they sponsored one of 1997's best shows so far.

"Unfortunately, Honkeyball wasn't able to make it because their bass player had strep throat," McDade explained on his April 7 show. "Pornstar was very gracious in filling in. Whatever was very good and Feces Peces just rocked, they were incredible."

Pornstar's "Shirley" is one of the highlights of the hard loud-music compilation, Allston Rock City (Curve of the Earth). "It's an outstanding disc," McDade told listeners. "It has 20 different bands on it," including Scissorfight, Honkeyball (who just released their own CD, One Time, on Wonderdrug), and 3 1/2 Girls. "There's a lot of good music on it."

He's been spotlighting regional metal, including Worcester's Rawhead Rex and Bile (who do an apocalyptic graveyard rendition of the Who's "My Generation" that makes Marilyn Manson seem tame), Gillyus Thunderhead, Sleestack, El Dopa, and Scissorfight.

CAPTAIN P.J. HAS BEEN a longtime advocate for putting Allen Ginsberg in the oval office. Now that the beat poet has passed on, the host of the Rockin' Revolution, aired Wednesday morning from midnight to 2 a.m. on WCUW (91.3 FM), has a warning for the Republicans, Democrats, and you. "I just may run myself!" Two of the planet's great majestic no-minds met when Ginsberg spoke at WPI in 1987, around the time self-imposed censorship of the non-commercial airwaves, fueled by the threat of license challenges from the religious right, threatened to destroy freeform radio. "We were surprised there wasn't many police there, we expected a big scene." Afterward, P.J. met Ginsberg. "I shook his hand, and we talked about life in general. He signed my copy of Howl."

Recent additions to the Captain's playlist include Mr. Pickle's Abbey Normal (Green Harvest Music), David Peel and the Lower East Side's Uptight Manhattan, and Inhale Mary's Used Memories for Sale (Cactus). "They're another typical Boston band, though not as garagey," as are Lucky Gold, who play Verago-go style punk pop on "Rocketship/Oil Slick" (Uncool). The Kenne Highland Clan's new four-song tape (Yee Yee Management) features the Goody Goody Gumdrops, "Not Mental Enough," and Charles Manson's "Always as Always."

More garage madness comes from Providence's Itchies (Big Dummy), Detroit's Trash Brats, whose Joke's On You (Negalomania) features "Downtown Nowhere," and New York's Mongrel Bitch's A Bitch, a Bong, and a Beer (More Beer, More Music) sounds, at times, like the early Slits, and at others (especially on "Suspended in Outer Space"), the Dangerous Birds.

Everyone seems to have their own favorite tracks on the Union Station (Headstrong) compilation. P.J.'s are Barefoot Republic's "Out," Popgun Picnic's "Stinks Like Truth," and Puddle's cover of the Monkees' "Circle Sky." "It's a mixture of different styles."

THE LOCAL TOP FIVE on WDOA (89.3 FM): 1) "I Won't Let It Get Me Down" -- Puddle. 2) "Lindzey Collins" -- Pothole. 3) "If You Let Her Go" -- Mike Ladd. 4) "The Jay Song" -- Twist 160. 5) "McAlister" -- Guerrero. You can hear recent local releases every Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Visit the station's web page at http://members.aol.com/wdoafm.