Category Archives: Free Radio Skybird

It is October and what is that tune?

Posted on by
Reply

Well things should be coming towards an end in a couple of week’s time and all that outside gardening fun may be slowing down but we still can grow stuff on our windowsill. The chillies we got in a plant swap are still going well. If it gets the heat and the protection from frosts it may survive and give us more hot chillies. Even the butternut squash outside is still cracking on.

 

Also the other day we relistened to the B side of a compilation we bought a couple of weeks ago and found (at 17 mins in on the above) a 1970’s Bunny Lee/King Tubby’s sounding cut of the wonderful Shirley & Lee’s – Lee Goofed. There’s versions out there by John Holt & Hortense Ellis (So long Baby) and The Love Children/The Marvels (Lee Goofed) on youtube but nothing sounding as heavy as the one on the Little Axe Compilation (A label which releases some wonderful tunes by the way and worth checking out). Any ideas on what the version on the compilation is? Any ideas appreciated.

The cut reminded us of those 1970’s old singles on the Grounation label like these two corkers below. Now there was a good label.

Pets Win Prizes

Posted on by
Reply

Here is the audio for KPET which went out on Shortwave Gold on Sunday 8th October 2023. Have a liston to a great show that has lots of pet related tunes and dedications going out to collie dogs, guinea pigs and budgies owners.

Beginning the show at 00.00 is a 15 minutes mix called “A tribute to Fido, Twinkie and Sheba” from One Deck Pet(e) and here’s the tracks:
oofoe – goldfish
Naslah – Cats & dogs
Cat Stevens – Was dog a donut
Benhayyi Al Baghbaghan – Salute the parrot (excerpt)
Soothsayers/Victor Rice – Glass fish dub

So fill up the dog bowl, put the cover over the parrot cage and enjoy the show!

Autumn, Jean-Michel Jarre and butternut squashes

Posted on by
2

It ain’t half now turned a bit autumnal especially after the Autumn Equinox (on Saturday at 7.50am). At the end of the garden is a very small bed that has a right mixture of stuff in the tiny space include chillies and Cape gooseberry and peppers too. Also what we thought was some sort of melon may now be a butternut squash (pic below). Will it ripen before the frosts come?

And here’s a tune from Maurice Louca from Cairo a chap we discovered over the weekend while we were researching a forthcoming shortwave mix. From the excellently titled LP Benhayyi Al-Baghbaghan (Salute the Parrot) here’s the percussive monster called Maksim (Maxim) and it’s wonderful stuff. Listen to it a few times in a row and you’ll be noticing bits you never noticed the time before and be wanting to listen to it again. Mad mad stuff.

And while we’re talking about Cairo we’ve just remembered this tune from the excellent Zeb – The Spy From Cairo called Qanun in Dub.

Stars on 45

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s the Imaginary Stations show WS7S – The Skybird Seven Inch Vinyl Special a show in praise of the humble seven inch single that was broadcast on Sunday 10th September 2023 via WRMI. There’s some gems on here with some light scratches and a little bit of off-centre pressing madness.

At a few seconds into the audio One Deck Pete brings you a mix called The Skybird Single Club. Here’s the tracks:
Rotary Connection – Like a rolling stone
Weekend – The view from her room
Earl Curry – One whole year baby
Felice Taylor – I feel love comin’ on
Toby Nelson – You don’t need me (Version)

Have a listen to the show and rediscover the world of the humble seven inch single.

Talking of radio shows this Sunday 17th September 2023 we have two imaginary station related programmes on the shortwave. At 2000 hrs UTC on 3975 & 6160 kHz via Shortwave Gold we have DJ Frederick’s Shortwave Music Library where he picks some choice classics and rarities not usually aired heard over the wireless. Expect all sorts of eclectic stuff.

Talking of wireless, at 2200 hrs UTC on 9395 kHz via WRMI the Imaginary Stations crew bring you WTAB. A trip back in time where trebly voices and music flowed through horn type loudspeakers and when it got too loud a spare sock would dampen the sound. Expect some old tunes from way way back in the day!

A strange strawberry and a tune for a Wednesday

Posted on by
Reply

A few months ago we got some seeds (we think they were from Mr Fostergills) and they were a mixed strawberry (red and white). Turns out they are an alpine type strawberry and they are not too bad taste-wise. It was like having a white beetroot a few years ago, it was great but we’ve had some many red beetroots our brains couldn’t compute when it came to a white one!

And found on Bandcamp last night while researching a forthcoming shortwave mix we came across this great stripped down version from outa Darlington from the band Bubamara called Lu Core Meu Dub Version. An excellent tune!

One for the Bank Holiday

Posted on by
Reply

Big thanks to Jesse Yuen for his last post here and for sending us this tune recommendation. As he says in his own words: “My last few months have been soundtracked by this release from Cousin. Downtempo, dubwise, low-end and percussive!” Sounds great and well up our street Jesse!

Around the world, around the world – Part 3

Posted on by
Reply

A recording of this evening’s Skybird Radio International is now up online on mixcloud. The show was beamed to Europe via the services of Shortwave Gold from Germany and features a mix of sounds from around the world and is a great listen if you want to hear some interesting international tunes.

At 9 seconds in is a mix from One Deck Pete in a worldwide style. Here’s the tracklistings:
Madtone – Diamonds in the sky (Excerpt)
Huamansara – Cazador Huanca/Orq. Ayllus Del Centro
The Yamasuki’s – AIEAOA
International Dub Ambassasadors – La Cascada dub
Wimeanacas Cambodian Band – Flower In The Lake
Frank Gutowski Trio – Night Owl Polka

So tune in and enjoy an hour of travelling around this world of ours without baggage or a ticket!

Around the world, around the world

Posted on by
Reply

This Sunday 27th August 2023 at 2000 UTC (that’s 9pm UK time) tune in your shortwave radios to 6160 or 3975 kHz via Shortwave Gold for Skybird Radio International featuring the Imaginary Stations crew who bring you an hour of great music from around this planet of ours.

At 9 seconds into the show there’ll be a mix from our very own One Deck Pete with tunes from Huamansara, The Yamasuki’s, International Dub Ambassadors, Wimeanacas Cambodian Band and the Frank Gutowski Trio. So tune in via a shortwave radio or by using the online SDR here on Sunday evening and enjoy the international world of radio!

 

Music is a can of worms, part whatever

Posted on by
4

We’ve just finished a mix for a forthcoming shortwave radio transmission which features this classic by Felice Taylor called “I feel love coming on” which was written and produced by Paul Politi and the great Barry White. We knew the Felice Taylor tune well but just now discovered the Barry White and The Love Unlimited version. We love the spoken intro, Barry White in fine style.

Talking of the great Barry White, it brought us to thinking of this classic by Love Unlimited “Under the influence of love” which is a top tune and available on Discogs for less than £4.

Little did we know that Felice Tayor did a version of it (love the Four Tops musical reference in it) and the legendary Radio Jackie used the instrumental version by the Bob Keene Orchestra as their theme tune. We do love these musical connections!

Friday night polka style

Posted on by
Reply

Thanks to the catalogue of the wonderful Canary Records out Baltimore, Maryland for the Night Owl Polka from the Frank Gutowski Trio. You’ll be clapping along and shouting “Hey” in the right places before you know it as it don’t get much better than this. Do check the rest of their releases for some very interesting tune-age.