Another Friday, another blog from myself. Here goes!

Today’s now traditional Friday live session introduced us to the weird and wonderful sounds of Mannequin Attic, the collective name of local duo of Lisa Shepherd and Lee Close.

Fresh from victory in their heat of the Princess Alice’s Battle Of The Bands competition on Thursday night, they bravely overcame sore throats (something that’s becoming quite a regular on the show heh) to treat us to a terrific performance consisting of ‘Give Me A Call’, ‘Drug To Me’ and ‘Honey’. They certainly come across like an act that could go places, so it was a great pleasure to have them in the studio showing off some really cool, dark originals.

As ever, pictures were taken!………………..

………..And as ever, Jim spolit one by being awkwardly tall!

Then Lisa sang like crazy good.

And Lee paired that with some quality acoustic riffage.

And much fun was had by all!

Don’t forget to check these out live as soon as you can. Especially if you get chance to go vote for them in the semi final of the North East Live Battle Of The Bands at The Princess Alice on Thursday from 8!

Coming up next week is our first Friday Live Session in association with The Crown, featuring Black Mountain Poets. It shall be immense and is not to be missed!

This week’s hour-long playlist handpicked by Jim and I shall once again be aired Saturday night at 8pm, repeating at the same time on Sunday and Thursday at the same time. Here’s this weeks list of things you’ll hear by tuning in in the normal way at either of those times:

Editors – ‘Papillon’
The Flaming Lips – ‘Race For The Prize’
The Cribs – ‘We Share The Same Skies’
Tommy Tutone – ‘Jenny/867-5309′
The Gaslight Anthem – ‘Great Expectations’
Okkervil River – ‘Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe’
In Case Of Fire – ‘The Cleansing’
Drugstore – ‘White Magic For Lovers’
The Dresden Dolls – ‘Dear Jenny’
V V Brown – ‘Crying Blood’
Frozen Toaster – ‘Wooden Machine’
The White Stripes – ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’
MuteMath – ‘Spotlight’
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – ‘The Impression That I Get’
Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Bad Moon Rising’
Alice In Chains – ‘Check My Brain’
Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’

Don’t forget to tune in next Friday, same bat time, same bat channel (by that I mean 10am til noon, on this ‘ere website!)

Much Love

Alex

P.S. If you’re in Durham City Centre a week on Saturday night (shortly 8pm), come check out my band, The Murder Mile at the Castle Inn! Nowt wrong with a lil’ plug every now and again!

Eh up

On this morning’s show, Jim and I hosted another fantastic live session. This time, Jeff Pepsii and Lightnin’ Alex Lee Hooker III of The Eruptors were along in the studio to kick out a few jams. They played a fantastic set of 6 songs including a few from their brand new album, ‘Seduce & Destroy’, as well as staples of The Alex & Jim Show, ‘One Minute Decision’ and(“Teesside’s State Rock Anthem” – thanks by the way to any Oklahomalonians out there) ‘Tow The Line’. Full session podcasts are still in the construction stages, but will be here on this very t’interwebs site shortly.

We took some pictures as well today

Mr Lee Hooker III, Mr Pepsii, That Jim

Sexiest Man In Rock 2006. This was him playing a solo.

Jeff bashing the hell out of a cowbell while he sings. Can you say "multi-talented"?

Alex, Jeff, Yours truly

The complete set they played was

12Tree4
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Tow The Line
One Minute Decision
Leaving (On The Wings Of An Eagle)
1000% Rock…..Baby!

Keep an eye out for the podcast!!!!!

Until next week’s show, another hour-long Playlist has been compiled by Jim and myself. Check it out by listening to the station as normal after the news at 8pm on Saturday, Sunday and Thursday! Here’s what you’ll hear:

Brother Ali – ‘Fresh Air’
Run DMC – ‘Walk This Way’
Black Magic – ‘Peel’
Calexico – ‘Two Silver Trees’
Marit Bergman – ‘Carry Me Home’
Pulp – ‘Common People’
Midnight Juggernauts – ‘Tombstone’
VNV Nation – ‘Kingdom’
The Killers – ‘Somebody Told Me’
Aberdeen City – ‘God Is Going To Get Sick Of Me’
T Rex – ‘Children Of The Revolution’
The Eruptors – ‘Tow The Line’
Cake – ‘I Will Survive’
The Airborne Toxic Event – ‘Sometime Around Midnight’
Drive By Truckers – ‘Never Gonna Change’

Hope you enjoy it Don’t forget to listen in next Friday 10 til 12 for more of the same and better!

Alex

If I’d got your hopes up about Your New Escape Plan, then I’m sorry to break the news that due to unforeseen circumstances, tomorrow’s performance has had to be postponed. They will make it in for a session in the future, though!

In there place however, fresh from a resounding performance during the University’s Culture On Campus ‘Let There Be Rock!’ lecture this week, The Eruptors will be joining us in the first hour of the show. The band include Alex Gillett, by day a humble lecturer in the University’s Business School, but by night the “Sexiest Man In Rock”, ‘Flamin Alex Lee Hooker III’.

Rest assured, if Wednesday’s performance is anything to go by however, he’ll be rockin out in his night time guise. But in the morning. The studio has no windows with which to confuse him, so fret ye not.

The band have been a particular favourite of the show for a while. Alex & Jim connoisseurs will recall that we nominated their ‘Tow The Line’ as Teesside’s official regional rock anthem last year.

So don’t forget to tune in tomorrow from 10 for ‘1000% rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’ along with all the usual erm…..other….stuff.

And Jim.

‘Bout time I got round to one of these! I’ve never done a real proper blog thing before, but here goes.

Stick with it, there’s pictures n stuff to distract from the tiresome wordage.

Compared to last year, mine and Jim’s show’s now a lil’ bit different. After the success of our first live studio session with Chris Scanlon a couple of weeks ago, we asked another local acoustic act into the studio this morning. Claire and Daniel Johnson, a mature student couple, came along despite waking up with colds and soreness. They played two songs – ‘Urban Lullaby’ and ‘Shadowlands’ – and did very well. They may be back in future! Watch this space

Daniel Johnson

Daniel Johnson, Claire Johnson, some guy called Jim who just wandered into shot

Daniel Johnson smoldering, Claire Johnson smiling, Me.......I believe someone had said 'cheese'

And you’ll be pleased to know that the podcast for that performance as well as the one for Chris are forthcoming. Keep ‘em peeled!

Next week live in session, we have Your New Escape Plan. So don’t forget to tune in from 10 til 12.

In the meantime, there’s one of these hour-long jukebox playlist things you might hear at some point if you’re having a listen over the next few days.

Here’s what you might hear if it comes on

Clutch – ‘50,000 Unstoppable Watts’
Brandi Carlile – ‘The Story’
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Go Your Own Way’
Dionysos – ‘Tais-Toi Mon Coeur’
The Avett Bros – ‘I & Love & You”
R.E.M. – ‘Man On The Moon’
Jenny Lewis – ‘See Fernando’
Atmosphere – ‘Yesterday’
Passion Pit – ‘The Reeling’
Your New Escape Plan – ‘Jupiter’
Tool – ‘Stinkfist’
Heaven 17 – ‘Temptation’
fun. – ‘At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)’
The King Blues – ‘I’ve Got Love’
The Hold Steady – ‘Stay Positive’

‘Til next time, then!

Alex