So, there’s this radio station in Seattle, KEXP, 90.3 FM. I may have posted about them before; I listen to them on the IntarWeb (using iTunes) because they offer high-quality streams of their stuff, plus they archive the past two weeks of broadcast, plus they save all their in-studio guests’ shows, blah, blah, yadda, yadda… They’re great.
They’re all listener-supported. This week they’re having a pledge drive. Go. Listen. Give them money. They’re totally worth it if you like independent radio and are tired of listening to whatever the Big Five record companies are paying Clear Channel to play.
Anywho, reason I bring them up again is because yesterday morning, they played a new track from William Shatner. Yes, Captain Kirk-slash-T. J. Hooker-slash-“legend in his own mind” William Fucking Shatner. He’s been recording a new album, which is being produced by Ben Folds, and they’ve released a single from the album. It’s a remake of “Common People” by Pulp.
And it totally fucking rocks. The actual singing is handled on one chorus by Joe Jackson, but hearing ol’ Bill talking his way through the song, with his emphatic repetitions and weird pauses… dunno. It just works. This song, and my cat, is the only thing that’s made me smile today.
So, see, here’s where the coolness of KEXP shines through. Even though they played it yesterday, you can still hear it. Go to KEXP’s streaming archive, select Tuesday, 28 September 2004, around 7:23 AM, and pick one of the streams (Windows Media Crapper or RealCrap, hardly matters which) and, after hearing John and Amanda beg for donations for a minute or two, you’ll hear the song.
And, believe me, you’ll want to hear it over and over again. I know I do.