'Death or Glory: Came too Close to the Former This Time' Play List & More Ramblings of Gratitude

     While I once again had a lot of fun DJing my annual WBNY 91.3 FM Alumni Weekend shift this year, circumstances were a little bit different during my scheduled midnight-3 AM Saturday night/Sunday morning, April 22, show.

     Since I haven't blogged about it here, this year's edition of "Death Or Glory: Came too Close to the Former This Time," celebrated my survival from a heart attack and aortic aneurysm event October 20 and open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic (the medical and all of the staff there are amazing) November 20, which included a triple coronary bypass, aortic tear repair, aortic valve repair, three stents being placed inside me, including my carotid artery, and, a new thing to me, the implanting of a "frozen elephant trunk," a vinyl mesh vessel inside the aortic artery running basically from my upper chest above my heart to my hip region. I am feeling very good, about 95-97 percent recovered, back to work, walking Harold, grocery shopping and living every grateful moment with my lovely wife Val Dunne.

Your DJ, WBNY studios, 2016.

     Being back on the air at WBNY meant even more than usual to me; the music is always a big part of things and my life, but to be able to handle the physical side of what turned into a more than 4-hour air shift (I actually played music until 4:30 AM) and what it means for my physical and emotional survival is also big. It also has allowed me to be artistic and creative, something I have needed and not been able to do very much since my surgery just over 6 months ago as of this writing.

     I tried, as usual, to play much of the music I love and that has influenced and inspired me, with some changes and some songs reflecting my medical needs, recovery and references to hearts and blood in general. I did forget to take in a few songs (not bringing Roxy Music's "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" was a particular disappointing omission), but I feel I had my best show in my "Death or Glory" series, musically and technically, even with a few goofs. I could have gone on until 5 AM or so, but I could feel myself getting tired and didn't want the quality of the show to decline or to drive home while dozing off.

     So, here is my play list from the show:
 

     Midnight – “Death or Glory,” the Clash; “Love Like Blood,” Killing Joke; “Discovering Japan,” Graham Parker and the Rumor; “Poptones,” Public Image Limited; “Heart Attack and Vine,” Tom Waits; “Broken English,” Marianne Faithfull; “Tell That Girl to Shut Up,” Holly and the Italians; “Hello Birmingham,” Ani DiFranco; ”Girl Power,” Mark Freeland/Electroman.

     1 AM – “Heartbeat,” the Vores; “Good Luck, Money and Gasoline,” the Pine Dogs; “Crash All Night,” Jim Whitford; “Indy 500,” girlpope; “Pumping My Heart,” Patti Smith Group; “Love Comes in Spurts,” Richard Hell and the Voidoids; “Cretin Hop,” the Ramones; “One Way or Another,” Blondie; “You Burn Me Up (I’m a Cigarette),” Robert Fripp; “Do the Strand,” Roxy Music; “It’s No Game (Part 1),” David Bowie; “Trans-Europe Express,” Kraftwerk; “Cross-eyed and Painless,” Talking Heads; “Looking for a Kiss,” New York Dolls.

     2 AM – “Death Valley ’69,” Sonic Youth; “Heart,” Rockpile; “Down in the Park,” Gary Numan; “Damaged Goods,” Gang of Four; “Click, Click, Click,” English Beat; “Sister Europe,” Psychedelic Furs; “While the City Sleeps,” the Ramrods; “I’m the Target,” Paper Faces; “Hail to the Chief,” the Rain; “Drag the Lake,” Oui73; “This Is It,” the Jumpers.

     3 AM – “Nighttime,” Ray Wylie Hubbard; “Marie Marie,” the Blasters; “Ashtray Heart,” Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band; “Sex Bomb,” Flipper; “Tell Me When It’s Over,” Dream Syndicate; “Good Morning Aztlan,” Los Lobos; “Boxcars,” Joe Ely; “A Million Miles Away,” the Plimsouls; “Two Angels,” Peter Case; “Killin’ Time in Texas,” Gurf Morlix; “Hot Blood,” Lucinda Williams; “No Action,” Elvis Costello and the Attractions; “Start!” the Jam; “Holidays in the Sun,” Sex Pistols; “Tattooed Love Boys,” the Pretenders.

     4 AM – “Your Phone’s Off the Hook (But You’re Not),” X; “Pink Turns to Blue,” Husker Du; “Uncontrollable Urge,” Devo; “From the Air,” Laurie Anderson; “The Ascension,” Glenn Branca.

     As always, I want to thank the staff and management of WBNY 91.3 FM for allowing us alumni to come in and have some fun on the air, and while I will make an official announcement very soon, I will be gracing the airwaves again soon, way before next year's Alumni Weekend.