MICKEY STEPHENS & POOR BLUE - "Wasteground" (2018)

 

The first time I heard of Mickey Stephens was in 2018 when Lord Litter played one of his songs on his radio show on KWTF (Are those not the greatest call letters of all time or what?).

I thought "Wasteground" was one of the best songs I had heard lately with it's laid back feel, and ultra cool trumpet solo. 

Lord Litter kept on playing Mickey's music and one day I asked him "What's going on with Mickey Stephens?" and he told me he had completely lost touch with him, but he had heard he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.

A little over a year ago Lord Litter passed away, and I had completely forgotten about our Mickey Stephens conversation.

I started thinking about it again the other day, and there is little to find.

 

All the links I could find to the "Wasteground" site are dead, and I can't even find a reference to this music on Discogs, but I did find this extensive article about Mickey and his early history in an Irish band called The Mighty Shamrocks.

You can read it right HERE!

I can't find just the song, but here's Lord Litter's radio program that I heard it on. It's the opening song, so just give it a minute or two. It will be worth it, and by all means, go ahead and listen to the rest of the show or any of the other Lord Litter shows. If you like a wide variety of music, I guarantee you won't regret it.

The world needs more music like this Mickey, just let us know where to find it!

MICKEY STEPHENS AND POOR BLUE - "Wasteground"

LOOSE FUR - "Born Again In The USA" (2006)

 

Loose Fur was a side project of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. "Born Again In The USA" from 2006 was their second and last album together. Jeff Tweedy was joined on this record by Glenn Kotche on Drums & Percussion, and Jim O'Rourke on Bass, Keys, Guitars and vocals.

After this both Glenn and Jim ended up playing in Wilco. 

Lots of changes! 

The cover art is done by Japaneses artist Tomoo Gokita.

LOOSE FUR - "Hey Chicken" 

WHAT A RAUNCHY SONG!

 

The definition of the word "Raunchy" is earthy, vulgar, slovenly, grubby and often sexually explicit!

The instrumental song "Raunchy" was written by Bill Justis and Sidney Manker, and was released as a single in 1957, making it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and #2 on the R&B singles charts in 1958.

Oddly enough, it also made it to #6 on the list of country singles in that year. 

Bill Justis then recorded the song two more times, and it was the title of this album in 1969. 

BILL JUSTIS - "Raunchy" 

 

This version by Ernie Freeman released also in 1957 was very popular, having also reached #1 on the R&B singles charts in 1958.

ERNIE FREEMAN - "Raunchy"

 

  

It is said that in 1958 when a 15 year old George Harrison auditioned to be in John Lennon's band The Quarrymen, the song he played was "Raunchy."

 

"Raunchy" has been recorded by many artists including Duane Eddy, Santo & Johnny, Billy Strange, and The Incredible Bongo Band just to name a few, but one version I really like is the one by The Ventures" from their first album of 149 they made, released in 1960 titled "Walk Don't Run."

Unlike many versions, they didn't need a sax! 

THE VENTURES - "Raunchy"

If you'd like to hear more versions of "Raunchy" then what you don't want to do is search for "Raunchy" song on YouTube. I'll just say I thought porn wasn't allowed on YouTube, but I guess it's okay if it's in the form of vulgar songs.

NEW PUMF RELEASES JULY 2025

 

pStan Batcow has just announced that there are three new releases out on his Pumf Records label this month.

The first one is 'Cutting Wood When The Wind Is Blowing' by Howl in the Typewriter - an album of repetition, where the usual structure of music underlaid with background sounds is inverted, meaning the music is subsumed by the incidental - this gives an unsettling feel to the whole aural groove, though with enough structure remaining to hypnotise and enthrall the listener.

 

 

The second one is  'A Piece of Steam' by Quougnpt - a barrage of soundbites cluster together and create otherworlds of the imagination, track-hopping from one train of thought to another as if demented gremlins are switching the points at random. 

 

 

And the third one is the 27th volume in the amazing godspunk series.

godspunk volume twenty-seven - a double-CD compilation, featuring fifteen bands / artistes from Planet Earth, performing 41 songs in their own inimitable styles, veering wildly through punky pop to abstract sounds, electronic to ambient, noise to psychedelic and folk / country. 

You can listen to and buy any or all at these two Pumf sites, 

so what are you waiting for? 

 PUMF.NET

or

PUMFBANDCAMP.COM 

HI FI AND THE ROADBURNERS - "Wine, Women And Sin" (1996)

 

HI FI And The Roadburners was a good time band from Chicago, Illinois that was founded in 1984 by brothers Erik and Hans Kish. 

 

 Erik was the main vocalist and played Rhythm Guitar, and Hans sang background vocals and played Bass. 

The other members were Jeff Schuch on Lead Guitar, Dan Curry on Drums, and the mighty Dennis McQuinn on Sax!

The brothers Kish also owned and operated Fear City Choppers, a business that customized Harley and Triumph motorcycles. 

Sadly, the band quit recording in 2011 after Erik Kish died from a motorcycle accident. Hans passed away in 2023.

HI FI AND THE ROADBURNERS - "What The Hell" 

MORPHINE - "Cure For Pain" (1993)

 

Morphine was an amazing three piece band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. They had a sound so unique I can't even think of anybody to compare them too. In 1993, they released their second album called "Cure For Pain."

 

 

Morphine was fronted by Mark Sandman on vocals and two string bass, and was joined on this record by Dana Colley on Sax. They had two separate drummers over the years, and both Jerome Deupree, and his replacement Billy Conway played on this release.

Morphine had an incredibly big sound for only three musicians!

Sadly, exactly 26 years ago to this day, Mark Sandman collapsed on stage in Italy at the age of 46, dead from a heart attack, and the band disbanded immediately.

MORPHINE - "Thursday" 

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM - "I Could Have Danced All Night" (1968)

 

Central Nervous System was a band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They only had this one album called "I Could Have Danced All Night" that came out in August of 1968. 

The first BS&T album came out in March of the same year, so it might or might not have been an influence on this band's sound.

This is the opening number from that album, and sets the mood for the rest of the record.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM - "Comin' To Get Ya"