Tales From The Drop Box - Better Than Radio

I'm still here! There is not a better way to start the week than with some new tunes. This episode of Tales From The Drop Box explores a very poppy side of the musical world. This week's episode is really a trip through some neglected pop music that inhabits the multiverse and that is not on any popular radio in the U.S. (for the most part). Episode 195 explores that indie pop genre with some lyrically catchy and somewhat dark themes sprinkled throughout. It is interesting to hear music that is somewhat upbeat and then takes that dark sharp left into the uncomfortable. .. Continue reading →

Well, I'm back again for another week of newish fine-ish music. Thanks for the positive comments. I missed you all as well. So, there should be some candy in this week's episode of Tales From The Drop Box because for some unknown reason there are more pop sounds than usual. So, don't be alarmed if there is not a plethora of heavy music or you missed your favorite punk rock track. We will get back there at some point but for now, . . Continue reading →

Well I bet you thought that this podcast had evaporated int othe sands of time. It still might, but I'm going to give it a shot. As this is only the 5th Episode of Tales From The Drop Box in 2021, and We've had a vaccine in the time I've been away, I'm hoping that as things now after some clusterfackerry are hopefully heading on a positive trajectory. Maybe it was January 6th that got me sideways, but I'll try to get back on track. So, rather than jibber-jabber about nonsense, here is what you came for Continue reading →

Valentines day. The day after the U.S. Senate's shameful action in acquitting the traitor and insurrection inciter who lead an attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 resulting in the deaths of 5 Americans and numerous injuries to those who defended the same morally bankrupt and timid senators who voted to acquit. Shameful. January 6 marked the day that democracy was rendered meaningless by a corrupt leader but democracy died on February 13, 2021 when 43 senators knowingly and willfully violated their oath of office to preserve their power advancing their own individual interests over the people they were elected to represent and the Constitution they swore an oath to uphold and defend against all enemies foreign and domestic. Liars. Shameful and shameless. Here is what you will find in Episode 192 (2021-04): Continue reading →

So massively cool you will be a little dizzy after this latest episode of Tales From The Drop Box Episode 191 (2021-03). Another Super Bowl Sunday. I'm not sure I have any skin in the game, but I'll watch because it is a short attention diversion as I am still trapped inside because I am still trying to avoid crowds and gatherings until such time as we ( the royal societal we) are able to resume some type of safe human interaction with strangers. Even when the pandemic is over, I am not sure how safe we will be with the number of certifiable nut jobs on the loose in this nation. The real time coverage of the ass wipes who attempted the January 6 insurrection in the service of Trump - a repository of all things evil, does not give me much confidence that people will suddenly wake up from this 4 year nightmare saying "what happened? Let's all be good to one another, right? Why can't we all just get along? Trump exposed and gave voice to the evil that lies in the heart of man. Combined with a Republican party corrupted to its amoral core willing to accept evil under the "big Republican tent", I am not sure that we are not headed to a full reckoning involving violence. Well, so that I don't sound paranoid, let's hope that I am incorrect and that humanity will course correct and head towards self-actualized positivity as a society rejecting the temptation to divide through arbitrary classification.... Continue reading →

Sanity returns to government. Honestly, the bar is really low for competence in government and perhaps it is time for people to think about the creatures that they elect to make important decisions about the future. Just a thought that perhaps we need to think about how we educate our citizens moving forward. The issue is not the elected creature but rather that there are a significant number of these morally bankrupt and evil scum bags being elected and continuing to be the loudest voices in a democracy. It is truly shameful that we are at a point in our history where the symptoms of the disease afflicting our democracy throw up right wing racists and extremists supporting fanciful conspiracy theories all in the name of good government. We have time, as a nation, to alter our path forward, but if we do not take aggressive steps to root out and repel the corrupt and evil and reject ideologies of hate then we are going to be back to the last 4 years soon enough. So, with those positive thoughts, what about the music? Continue reading →

So, as a starter, happy New Year! I'm glad to be back after a short break. So where are we now a few weeks into a new year? Well, shit is still bad. As you might note by the title to these episodes - we are still in a deadly pandemic. In Los Angeles, where I am located, things are really bad. There are more people dying here every day than at anytime in the past 11 months. While there is hope on the horizon we are experiencing the surge caused by a catastrophic failure of people to listen to the advice and act. Here we are at a point where community spread is so high that we just passed 1 million (1,000,000) COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, and confirmed its first case of the new, more contagious coronavirus strain first reported in the United Kingdom. This week the county also reported 14,669 new cases of COVID-19 and 253 additional deaths, bringing the county's totals to 1,003,923 cases and 13,741 fatalities. See it's bad. Continue reading →

Positive news on the COVID-19 front lines with the emergency approval of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for distribution in the U.S. This is an important first step in ending the pandemic. Given the large number of people in the U.S., it is going to be quite some time before it gets to the average individual. A look at the CDC Advisory Committee's plan for allocating initial supplies prioritizes 21 million health care workers and 3 million residents of long-term care facilities. After that it is likely to go to the 87 essential million workers not involved in front-line health care, then to the 100 million adults with certain high-risk medical conditions and the 50 million people who are 65 years old or older. I also anticipate that there will be line jumpers a plenty because nothing says American more than me first. After the shameful actions of the 106 republican members of Congress who signed off on frivolous Texas lawsuit challenging the actions of other states in conducting their elections because they did not like the outcome and after the lawsuit was rejected for lack of standing by the Supremes, it was not surprising that they subsequently tossed around the idea seceding from the U.S.. It's not enough that these assholes are attacking the foundation of democracy i.e. the right to vote in free and fair elections but they are attacking the idea of a united states. So, in a country with a significant number of gutless and stupid leaders who are both morally and intellectually bankrupt, there are going to be continuing problems with vaccine distribution regardless of the good intentions of the person the large majority of the citizens elected to lead us out of the valley of death. At least this paragraph started positive. Here is hoping that sanity, cooperation, and science prevails over the cult of stupid. Continue reading →

I hope you enjoyed your week after the thanksgiving holiday. I took the week off llast week and perhaps you noticed there was no new episode for you to listen to last week. Perhaps, not. If you did look for something, I hope you went back and gave a listen to something you might have missed. I truly believe this has been a terrific year for new music. In what could have been a truly horrible year (keep reading) the music that is coming out now is pretty freakin' awesome. Although it would appear that we do not have much to be thankful for this year, your perspective on what has happened this past year as we approach the end of 2020 is truly important. I am truly blessed and thankful I am still here, my family is safe and we are still earning a living. These are simple graces for a difficult year. I am saddened by the horrific loss of life that truly was preventable. There is plenty of blame to go around but that is not the point of this missive. ... Continue reading →

As anticipated by last weeks Coronavirus explosion in the U.S. , we are going to be in a world of hurt in the U.S. over the next month. It should be not too surprising to anyone who has followed Tales From The Drop Box that not only was this rapid increase in infections anticipated, but sadly, even knowing what we know, the fact that we as a society could have prevented all of this tragedy and refused to do so was also predicable. That is, despite knowing what we actually truly do know about the spread of COVID-19, many millions of people still refuse to cooperate with the basics necessary to keep the virus spread in check. Thus, the predictable result is what we as a country are experiencing now - which is increased hospitalizations followed shortly thereafter by death. I am truly shocked by how numb we have become to the reports of COVID-19 deaths and our apparent acceptance of truly preventable tragedies. It is too sad and disappointing to actual reflect on this tragedy for too long. So...take action. Take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones by following the scientific guidance you know to be true - you are safer at home. Don't gather in groups indoors. Create physical distance from each other. Wear a mask. Participate in the social contract we all make to live in a free society i.e. do no harm to each other.... Continue reading →

A shift in emphasis for this podcast's liner notes following the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States of America. The reign of terror we have all suffered for the past 4 years will come to an end despite the continued nonsense from the loser. As it is obvious that we are truly a nation divided, there is nothing like a pandemic to bring people closer together, right? I am hopeful that Biden will get a chance to enact policies that will end the racial disparity pandemic. However, the immediate focus for all of us must be getting on the same page with regard to COVID-19. When I mean the same page, I mean follow the same understanding with regard to reducing the spread of the virus. That is, stay away the F____ away from each other and wear a mask. Continue reading →

President-Elect Biden!!!. Well, I can stop holding my breathe after Biden pulled out a win for democracy. I am truly thankfully that a resounding majority of the American populous decided that decency, honor, truth, and the rule of law were more important than demagoguery, corruption and sociopathic narcissism from a crime family that operated the U.S. for the past four years. I am still markedly disturbed that almost 1/2 of the country voted for that sack of shit masquerading as a human, but hopefully once the stench is removed from the people's house we can all move forward, find common ground, and operate in the best version of a democratic society. So, to those who voted for Biden - Thank You. For those Republicans who repudiated the former president's message of hate and lawlessness a big Thank You is also in order. ... Continue reading →

It is the day before the U.S. national election and these notes are short for a reason - get out and vote to end the suffering of millions of Americans caused by a corrupt lying monster that is our current president. End the chaos, the suffering, the corruption, the lunacy and cult of personality. End the ridiculous abject failure of a COVID-19 non response. Vote the Republican bootlickers out as well. We need a fresh start to our democracy where there is less divisiveness, where Black Lives do matter, where issues that impact our citizens are taken seriously by our leaders, where society exists that balance individual freedoms against the objectives of a free society. Where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, where synchronicity exists. When it is not about I or them but about we - we the people of the United States of America. If I can't change your mind then no one will. This election is about the will of a country's citizens to unseat a corrupt demagogue. Make voting your priority. Continue reading →

We are still in a pandemic. America should have it under control by now. We should, as a nation, have a plan. Public safety is not a violation of your individual rights. Public safety keeps us all safe. While you certainly do have an individual right to be an idiot, your individual rights do not exceed mine. I have a right to be safe. So, as you consider the next 4 years, think about those you love, those who have died needlessly from an abject lack of competence and leadership, and do the right thing for all of us - vote for someone who is not an idiot. Vote out the idiots enablers. Wear a mask and keep your distance, eh? It's simple. Continue reading →

If you have been reading these notes for the last couple of episodes of Tales From The Drop Box while listening (or even before listening!!!) to the podcast for the music, then you likely know how I actually feel and think about the two candidates for President of the United States. You are also aware that if Satan was running as a candidate against Trump, that I'd take a hard look at Satan. . . . Continue reading →

Tales From The Drop Box Episode 180 is filled with a ton of new releases this week from Drop Box faves King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Frankie & The Witch Fingers, as well as exciting new music from Mercy Music and The Medicine Dolls with a couple of oldies mixed in from Ty Segal & Mikal Cronin and Alternative TV. How could you go wrong? Continue reading →

Nah, I’m not even going to try to hide the fact that this opener is political given this week’s new twist in the soap opera that is American politics. Following what some, including myself, have described as a shit show … Continue reading →

I cannot recall a time in modern history when the need for Americans to vote was so great so to avoid a continuous and persistent attack mounted against democracy by a sitting President of the United States of America. How … Continue reading →

RIP RBG. Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a force of nature with her intellectual insights as an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death. RBG was … Continue reading →

So, I’m dealing with a little fire issue. I’m sitting in my bunker which is slowly filling with smoke. The bunker is situated about 1/2 mile from the Bobcat fire on the edge of Monrovia in Los Angeles. The fire … Continue reading →

Well, this is Day 2 of an expected 10 day heatwave roiling through Los Angeles. Yesterday was 112 degrees outside the bunker and today is expected to be 114 degrees. These will both break local records for the area in … Continue reading →

It would not have been too risky a proposition to predict that America would have another name to add to the list of black Americans shot by police officers. On Aug. 23, Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Jacob Blake … Continue reading →

I can’t tell if things are bad or good right now. I should be able to make the distinction but when you are inundated with a derecho of crap, it is sometimes difficult to figure out a clear path forward. … Continue reading →

Blah Blah Blah was a pretty good album by Iggy Pop and the theme for this week - Blah Blah Blah. As we get closer to the only election that matters and a turning point in our country's future, the real question is whether good will triumph over evil. That an election should decide the battle of good and evil is a truly sad thought. Why you might ask? Did you ever consider that the result of that battle is still a toss up after almost four years of misery both political and personal, and that we still are nation gripped by a pandemic and racial unrest. Good will triumph over Trump ... eventually. Continue reading →

Tales From The Drop Box Episode 171 finds America, unlike New Zealand and a bunch of other countries who have apparently figured out how to manage the outbreak of COVID-19, continuing to die. I guess only Anti-Flag correctly predicted that … Continue reading →

A bit of a throwback episode this week. As the number of days under pandemic increase, so does the length of the list of tracks that are – drop box worthy! America is struggling in getting the Sars-Cov-2 virus under … Continue reading →

I was almost emotional watching the moms and dads in Portland intercede between the criminal government agents and the demonstrators in the on-going public discussion about race in America. I never thought I would ever see the day that the … Continue reading →

Another week, another 4300 deaths in America. Perhaps we should take a long hard look at what we are doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You already have much confirmation that your government will not save you, your family … Continue reading →

Another week and the COVID-19 pandemic is out of control here in America. An abject failure of federal leadership is the cause of the uncoordinated patch work of responses and when combined with the large volume of inconsistent information, disinformation, … Continue reading →

I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July holiday. To my Canadian friends, I hope you had a terrific Canada Day. Normally, I would be celebrating America’s birthday, but it is difficult to celebrate America’s success when we are … Continue reading →

Pandemic still ongoing. Still no justice for victims of systemic racism carried out by police officers against Black Americans and other persons of color. Still no answer to the real problem of privilege in our country. The COVID-19 problem is, alarmingly, growing. as the world wide number of estimated infections crosses the 10 million persons infected threshold this should give us all pause to think about the rapid acceleration of the virus. The numbers are accelerating world wide. Last week the WHO reported 183,000 new cases - the single largest number of new cases reported in one day. On average, there are approximately 150,000 new cases per day worldwide. The U.S. which accounts for 25% of those cases recorded the largest number of daily reported cases since April 23 - the peak of the New York infection. There is little doubt that the lack of leadership at the federal level is the greatest threat to the safety of our country. The response is an abysmal failure. So, as I try to be positive with these notes, here are some suggestions Continue reading →

A Father's Day edition of Tales From The Drop Box amidst continuing national unrest in the wake of a growing number of police shootings of Black Americans following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, increases in COVID-19 cases across America, and the release of the John Bolton book confirming what the nation suspected about the corrupt unhinged troll living in the White House. I wish this was a world created in a fantasy novel but, unfortunately, we are living this fantasy as reality. We must not lose the plot though. The fight for change is a daily struggle. It is much like fatherhood with some challenges scattered among the many joy filled days. When we look back on the challenges we are now facing I hope that enough time will have passed that these troubling times are but a blip on a road filled of hope and joy. For those of you are fathers, I wish you all a very happy Father's Day as our children are truly our greatest blessing. .. . Here is what you will find in Episode 164: Continue reading →

If you don’t want to read the political venting this week, skip the second paragraph of these notes. While I think the topic of Black Lives Matter is important enough to publish as a reminder that things must change, I … Continue reading →

As mentioned in the last episode, COVID-19 was replaced last week as the topic du jour by a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the tragic execution of George Floyd by a police officer. After two weeks of protests, yesterday's demonstrations in support of change in police use of force policies disproportionately impacting Black Lives were the largest of this current cycle. Peaceful demonstrations in cities and towns worldwide to support changes to systemic race based policing policies which disproportionately impact Black Lives are an important first step in creating an environment for change. Perhaps now is the time for actual change that matters. Talk - Action = 0. Continue reading →

Sad week in America. COVID-19 deaths increasing, George Floyd's senseless death, and violent protests against police brutality exposing a systemic failure of leadership and a culture of racism nationwide. All this against a backdrop of civil unrest, looting and destruction, in many cities demonstrating just how thin the line between good and evil is in this country. The politics of outrage will not be a satisfactory response to the wounds of racism ripped open this week fanned by the occupant of the White House. Regardless of your political affiliation certainly you should be able to see the injustice institutionalized in the militarized police forces against persons of color. Certainly you should be able to see that George Floyd's death was wrong. The data is shocking and disturbing. Police violence is also not isolated. As this week's George Floyd protests have highlighted, police violence is a nationwide problem and it is multi-generational. NWA's "Fuck tha Police" (August 9, 1988) was not the only song pointing out the obvious, the Dead Kennedys, eight years earlier, identified the police as a criminal gang in "Police Truck" (May 1980). "Police Truck" was inspired by an incident in Los Angeles in the late 1970s in which two police officers performed illegal activities such as drinking on the job, beating up drunks, and raping prostitutes. Continue reading →

We are going to get to the music, but as tomorrow is Memorial Day in the United States, I have a few thoughts. As we observe Memorial Day amidst a pandemic that has killed, as I write these words, 100,000 Americans (THIS IS A REALLY BIG NUMBER) , I am reminded of the powerful words of General John Logan about the importance of this day and what it means as we honor the lives of those who sacrificed for a "free and undivided Republic": Continue reading →

Episode 159 of Tales From the Drop Box is a no-frills affair. As will become evident to you at some point in the program this episode is just the usual assortment of awesome music packaged into about an hour. I … Continue reading →

Happy Mother’s Day! It is always a special day as we take time to appreciate for most of us the primary source of nurturing and love that gave us life. This is not to say that father’s don’t provide nurturing love, they almost certainly do, but fortunately for most of us, mom’s are the endless fount of love. So, for all of you mom’s who have given their unwavering love, support and care for your child(ren) enjoy your day. This episode is for the mom's in my life and for my children's mom who has raised some awesome children and put's up with this overgrown child every single day! For those of you listening to this episode, why not share it with your mom... Typical of this podcast, Episode 158 of Tales From the Drop Box is not a celebration of Mother’s Day. It is a little softer at the beginning but it slowly builds to that unpredictable chaotic diversity you’ve come to expect. So, as always rock the crap out of this one. Here is what you’ll find in Episode 158 Continue reading →

Hmmmm…..I am in an aggressive mood today so Episode 157 of Tales From the Drop Box is going to be far more up-tempo than the last couple of episodes of these pandemic versions of your favorite podcast. I’m telegraphing a few things in that last sentence. Yup, it is a punk rock episode! You should also note that I’ve also upped significantly the caloric content of this episode with a couple of extra tracks (okay - it's 10 extra tracks) so you can enjoy these short songs longer. Hopefully all of you are staying as safe as you can, keeping others safe by physically distancing yourself from people in the wild, and doing your best to try to control the spread of COVID-19. I offer these wishes because in case it skipped your news feed - there is no cure yet, there is no treatment that reduces the lethalness of the virus, and real people are still dying - in large numbers.... Continue reading →

And the Pandemic continues ... . I never thought I’d ever have to use the word "pandemic" in a sentence. As some areas of the country begin to open up their businesses and try to gain some economic activity, I find it somewhat distressing to discover that I am curious about how willing our politicians are to engage in a potential lethal social experiment.  Certainly some citizens will lose their lives as we move forward, the unaddressed question being - "How many?" Hopefully the death rate from this latest virus declines and the country, which has been largely cast adrift by the staggering incompetence of the White House, somehow finds not only relief from the deadly virus but also rediscovers its soul. I'm not so confident about the last statement. COVID-19 deaths have converted individuals into mere numbers uprooted from the tragedy of each individual's death. Hopefully, you’ll find some joy in this episode – Episode 156 of Tales From the Drop Box. Take care my friends. Stay safe. Here is what you’ll find in Episode 156: Continue reading →

Now we are just Zoom-bombing along! Tales From The Drop Box Episode 155 is truly an embarrassment of musical riches. I have had some time i.e. several months to gear things up during the long cold winter and there is … Continue reading →

Happy Easter to you al! A new episode from my bunker. I am immediately following up last week’s episode with this new and improved version of the Pandemic Episodes of Tales From the Drop Box. Okay, it is not an improved version as Tales From the Drop Box was already perfect and this episode is perfect as well! Trust me this episode is going to kick some Covid-19 ass and if you are feeling a little blue from being involuntarily self-isolated this episode will bring a little sunshine into your room. This episode is new – most of these tracks are from this year, still available on Bandcamp, from various internet retail outlets in physical format, and various streaming services. If you like something I play on this podcast – go buy a record from these fine acts Continue reading →

I honestly didn’t think that it would take a real pandemic for me to restart production of these broadcasts albeit from an underground bunker where I am now holed up. But it did and I did. I am back for … Continue reading →