Fenster’s Funky Sevens

Ep 43 - Bataa Jambaldorj and The Heists: Mongolian Throat Singing meets Alaska Bluegrass

If your Instagram algorithm is tuned to serve you wholesome musical moments, you might have seen a video recently of an Alaskan bluegrass band (The Heists with Josh Fortenbery) playing the song "East Virginia Blues" with vocals from a Mongolian throat singer (Bataa Jambaldorj of Nomads). It's a joyous meeting of musical styles and cultures. 
 
This episode tells the story of how that wonderfully serendipitous moment came to be. 
 
The video
 
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYw9SRYRN3j/?igsh=MWJzZGd6OHQyaXp0dA==
 
Bataa's instagram
 
https://www.instagram.com/bataajambaldorj?igsh=ZTh2eGVodWU1Y252
 
Nomad's bandcamp
 
https://nomadsdublin.bandcamp.com/
 
Bataa playing in class
 
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA36MolMmyM/?igsh=OWt0bmN1dzhvaWFs
 
Hansel/Billy
 
https://www.instagram.com/_hansel_s?igsh=YjhyMnlja3Zwbzd4
 
The Heists
 
https://www.the-heists.com/
 
https://www.instagram.com/the_heists?igsh=NTk2dDcwdGxnZ2ts
 
Josh Fortenbery
 
https://www.instagram.com/josh.fortenbery?igsh=MWRsZjB0czljcmV0cg==
 
Taylor Vidic 
 
https://www.instagram.com/taylordallasvidic?igsh=Z291aW16ZTh0cHhu
 
 
Deni Hurtado
 
https://www.instagram.com/deni_hurtado?igsh=bnJnMm1vYTExZHluY
 
 
Lisa/Twitcher
 
https://www.instagram.com/twitcher_music?igsh=Yjg0NW9weXowd3cx
 
Cormac/Big Monster Love
 
https://bigmonsterlove.bandcamp.com/album/game-over
 
 

Ep 42 - Songs of Quiet Dignity

In the last episode, I inadvertently took a turn into the realm of true crime podcasting, and while I'm not intentionally planning this, it seems this episode could be filed under the heading of self help. Back in the 80s, I heard a song, Dignity by Deacon Blue, which explored themes I hadn't come across in a song before. It's about finding meaning in the drudgery of manual labour and how the right attitude can become inspirational and filled with joy and hope. Subconsciously, over the years. I've been drawn to other songs that dealt with similar themes and now I've collected these songs into a sort of mental health journey.The modern world can lead people to act in a way that might cause them to lose their dignity, maybe the messages in these songs could help someone regain it. If that's not too lofty a claim.
Ronan Hession/Mumblin' Deaf Ro's music
https://mumblindeafro.bandcamp.com/music

Ep 41 - Ghost Memories

I'm not exactly sure what this episode is, I guess it's a kind of audio essay based on seven "ghost songs" (songs with the word ghost in the title) and how they relate to some moments from my life. Maybe it's something of a personal memoir through song,;as pretension as that sounds.
The last 30, or so minutes are more of a documentary about a very sad and tragic event in Dublin's history, so be prepared for that if you are of a sensitive nature. 
So please have a listen and enjoy these Ghost Memories 
 
Aoife's Sing Along Social
https://www.singalongsocial.com/
 
Gary's music 
https://gazlerock.bandcamp.com
 
Trapped Inside: The Stardust Nightclub Fire Disaster Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deHNbwW6B6U

Ep 40 - Miles Davis in his New York Apartment 1986

About a year ago, an Instagram account called the Jazz Dispensary shared a photo titled "Miles Davis in his New York apartment 1986". The picture was taken from a book called No Picture by Japanese photographer Shigeru Uchiyama.
It shows Miles reaching behind his bed to adjust his sound system. On the floor around the bed there are two rows of records, some CDs, a selection of belts,  magazines and various other items.
And while the photo gives us a candid snapshot into the life of one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, it can also tell us a whole lot about where Miles Davis's music career was at that moment of time.
Check out the photo herehttps://ibb.co/Jw6Qp74b
And the mystery CD https://ibb.co/rRVDv5ZT

Ep 39 - A History of the Remix (1955 - 1992)

A history of the remix; from the avant garde tape loop experiments of the 50s, to the creative expansion of the standard three minute song in the late 60s. And the innovations in DJing and dancefloor dynamics of the 70s, through to the current situation when a remix is now more a statement of the remixer's musical expression that a reinterpretation of the original producer's work.
Featuring  interviews with many of the key characters like Tom Moulton, Mel Cheren and Walter Gibbons,  plus lots of the pivotal tracks that shaped the sound of dance music today. 
Norman Whitfield playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bRq6ju63svO3C7eSBTW4Q?si=aT-KAms3RYuw9m-1ObNs8Q&pi=sXT7KBhdSdGDO

Ep 38 - Dude Hop Revisited

An update of episodes 24 and 26, where I introduced the genre of Dude Hop, mid 90s alternative rock infused hip hop made by white dudes with hangovers, with some more dude hop songs I've discovered over the last year or so 
 
The Dude Hop Timeline playlist on Spotify
 
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4dNXabIDPDFwQ00UwK06Gr?si=TKt2fWXTQmOkkGSgdsHo3A&pi=idkD9sKhTGeYH
 
The Dude Hop sub Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/DudeHop
 

Ep 37 - Novelty Rap of the 80s

A selection of sometimes cringe, sometimes cool comedy rap tunes from the early to mid 80s, featuring tunes from England, Scotland, Ireland and The Netherlands

Ep 36 - The Grove Social Club (1967 to 1997)

The Grove was a teenage disco in the Northside of Dublin, Ireland that ran for 30 years, from 1967 to 1997.  and thanks to Cecil Nolan, who was the DJ for that entire time, and the music he played, The Grove became an essential part of the formative years of the tens of thousands of young Northsiders who attended.
In this episode, many of those who were lucky enough to have gone to the Grove share their stories and the music they heard there. 
Links 
Joe Kearns - What is the Grove? 
https://thegrove-jk.blogspot.com/p/memories-of-grove-1973-to-1975-from-2025.html?m=1
The Grove Facebook group 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4512479386/?ref=share
The Grove radio show on NearFM
https://nearfm.ie/the-grove-show/
Eamonn McCormack's "Kindred Spirits" album
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7IYQbgnmiFhHdnp5WESEQV?si=hYYbsEFpTuWxxMuCwaFtiw
"More Than A Feeling" - RTE documentary on the Grove
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccATMMFBtM
32a - Irish Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPA8aUK3q80
 
 

Ep 35 - CRASH!!

Just in time for Halloween, I cover a dark subject in this episode; the stories of seven plane crashes and the famous musicians who lost their lives in them.

Ep 34 - Spelling Songs

Seven songs thar feature spelling in the lyrics