Another great week coming up on XM with the NHL (XM 204-209) & NBA on ESPN (XM 140) as well as the premiere of Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host, Bob Dylan:
Monday
Front Row Fred | Fred - XM 44 | 12PM ET- 1PM ET - Depeche Mode gives us a performance from 1985 in the Hammersmith Odeon in London.
XM Cafe Live: Sting | XM Cafe - XM 45 | 9PM - 10PM ET - Relive the music of Sting in a recorded concert in 2001 from the Beacon Theater in New York City.
Tuesday
The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas Program: #184 | Sonic Theater - XM 163 | 1PM - 2PM ET - The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank starring Robert Knepper (Prison Break / Carnival) is about his character, Jeff, who came back to life at his own funeral and hasn’t been the same since.
Wednesday
Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host, Bob Dylan | Deep Tracks - XM 40 | 10AM - 11AM ET - Bob Dylan weaves his own brand of radio with special themes, listener emails and a little help from his friends. It’s your chance to take a peek into the music soul of one of the most important songwriters and artists of the 20th Century. This week’s theme: The Weather.
Thursday
For Head Phones Only | Deep Tracks - XM 40 | 10PM - 12PM ET - This two hour mind excursion brings to the radio, The Generation’s more heady, large sounding, orchestral compositions spanning the ’60’s to the 00’s. Hear artists like The Moody Blues, Barclay James Harvest, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Glass Harp, and more.
Friday
Sounds From the Thievery Hi-Fi with Thievery Corporation | XM-Chill - XM 84 | 8AM - 9AM ET - Washington D.C’s Thievery Corporation’s exclusive one hour mix. They are generally unknown by name even though their music has appeared in many places, including commercials (”Coming From The Top” for Dockers and “Indra” for Citibank and Lincoln), movies (Vanilla Sky, the Psycho remake,) and TV shows (Milk of the Commander has appeared on The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and ER).
Sonic Sound Salutes: WKYC in Cleveland, Ohio | The 60s - XM 6 | 4PM - 8PM ET- Terry “The Motormouth” Young transforms the 60’s on 6 into great 60’s radio stations across America with their original jingles, air personalities, and local happenings.
Studio 83 | Chrome - XM 83 | 10PM - 2AM ET - Every Friday and Saturday Jenny Costa mixes the disco and classic dance hits on the tables that spin. Get taken back to the club days when you went out to the “Studio” in your town.
Saturday
The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas Program: #184 | Sonic Theater - XM 163 | 9PM - 10PM ET - Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, starring Marco Rodriguez and El Teatro Campesino. Masterfully using the Sleepy Lagoon murder case to examine the Chicano Zoot Suit Culture of the 40’s, Zoot Suit is passionate and provocative, and pulses with the beat of Big Band Music and traditional Latin Songs.
Another Round of Applause: Andrew Dice Clay | XM Comedy - XM 150 | 10PM - 11PM ET - It’s Another Round of Applause with Andrew Dice Clay recorded at Rascals on July 27th 1987.
Sunday
The Yarbirds Rhino Anthology | The 60s - XM 6 | 2PM - 4PM ET - They came out of the 60’s and established themselves as the first great guitar supergroup of rock and roll. The Yardbirds were the forerunners of heavy metal music, psychedelic music, the extended guitar solo, and that staple of rock improvisation, the “jam”. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page were all guitarists in the Yardbird and their music was the Shape of Things to Come.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers will be airing a concert on Ethel - XM 47 this coming Tuesday @ 8 PM ET. The show will be live from The Museum of Radio & Television in NYC. I’m not sure when/if there will be encores airing or not, but I’ll keep everyone posted as more info is available.
Well for all you Musiclab (XM 51) fans, here’s a great Artist Confidential coming up. Trey Anastasio former Phish Guitarist will performs songs from Phish & plays new songs from his solo album.
Schedule is as follows:
Monday, May 1 at 6PM - XM Café - XM 45 | The Loft - XM 50 | Deep Tracks - XM 40
Wednesday, May 3 at 9AM - XM Café - XM 45
Friday, May 5 at 2PM - Deep Tracks - XM 40
Saturday, May 6 at 3PM - The Loft - XM 50
Sunday, May 7 at 3AM - XM Café - XM 45
I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately. I think Sports programming on XM is pretty good, but there are a few things I’d like to see change.
- MLB - I love the MLB coverage that XM provides, but I would like to see more in depth stuff on Home Plate…especially more interviews . Overall I think XM is kickin’ some butt here
- NHL - Same deal as MLB, more interviews and more folks calling in as well would be nice 
- 60/20 Sports - I really think Luke Russert is one of the most least knowledgeable subject matter experts I’ve ever run across, but I really like Jim Carville, so this show intrigues me alot I think the show could use a 3rd or someone should do some research for Luke.
I wish XM would get some other sports leagues that get covered, such as the CFL. I was real disappointed that didnt happen, but its a good decision fiscally. Will the CFL ever make money ?
In any event I think XM is doing a decent job in the Sports dept. I would really like to see the covearge expand, but overall Im very grateful for the great coverage the XM Sports Nation
Former XM 80’s 0n 8 DJ Heidi Selexa is trying to make a comeback…sorta. She now has a podcast. I’m not quite sure what to make of it personally. I was never a huge supporter of Heidi’s when she was @ XM. The 80’s on 8 is slowly making a transformation to becoming much more listenable now, but I have to admit at least Heidi and Bruce Kelly put a face behind the station.
I can’t wait until Rick Stacy does that. I really enjoyed him back in the day when he was on the air…hint hint Rick if you’re reading this
Anyways….as for Heidi’s podcast…ummm…what can I say except Giggle Giggle…sigh
I’m not much of an NBA fan, but for those who are XM does have some NBA games on ESPN-XM 140. Upcoming Games are:
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Saturday, April 22 - 2:35pm ET
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns
Sunday, April 23 - 3:05pm ET
I’m surprised it took XM so long to come out with a press release for O & A’s return to CBS, but here it is
We’ll find out Wednesday how this goes…very exciting…yet scary all at once
Another great week coming up on XM with Ken Burns Jazz (Tune into Real Jazz - XM 70 @ 7AM -9AM everyday this week) continuing as well as some oth
Monday
Front Row Fred | Fred - XM 44 | 12PM ET- Featuring an hour concert of Echo & The Bunnyman. Hear Ian McCulloch and his band in a BBC Concert from 1988.
XM Cafe Live: Derek Trucks Band | XM Cafe - XM 45 | 9PM -10PM ET - Derek Trucks Band recorded in the XM Performance Theater March 2006.
Wednesday
The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas: Program #183 | Sonic Theater - XM 163 | 1PM - 2PM ET - The Dummy starring Bruno Kirby (City Slickers 1 & 2 / When Harry Met Sally) as a ventriloquist who is convinced that his dummy is alive and quite evil. Terror ensues when he decides to get rid of the dummy and start a new act.
Wired In - The X Country Concert Series: Lee Rocker | X Country - XM 12 | 7PM - 8PM ET - Lee Rocker of Stray Cats fame is on the road to support his new solo album Racin’ The Devil. You’ll hear lots of tunes from it, including a stripped down version of “Rock This Town.”
Friday
Acoustic Alchemy Live | X Country - XM 12 | 7PM - 8PM ET - In a 2002 visit to the States, British band Acoustic Alchemy stop in for an electric concert performance in the XM Performance Theater.
Live at The Comedy Club Punchline | XM Comedy - XM 150 | 10PM - 11 PM ET - Atlanta’s premier comedy club comes to XM with one of comedy’s hottest stars, Craig Shoemaker. Don’t miss “The Love Master” performing a killer show recorded exclusively for XM Comedy.
XMKiDS and Jazz at Lincoln Center present: Jazz For Young People | XM Kids - XM 116 | 11PM - 12AM ET - As part of “Jazz Appreciation Month”, XMKiDS invites you to join the one-and-only Wynton Marsalis for an hour of real-life, up-close stories and songs from the World of Jazz. This time, we’re riding the “Big Band Express” to learn about the swing style and syncopated rhythms of the Big Band Sound. Presented for kids of all ages and their families by one of the world’s biggest Jazz legends, Wynton Marsalis.
Saturday
The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas: Program #183 | Sonic Theater - XM 163 | 11AM - Noon ET - The Arrival starring Blair Underwood (Sex in the City / Full Frontal) is about a that lands plane safley, but all its passengers, pilot and crew are missing. When a veteran FAA investigator is called upon to solve the mystery, his own past provides the answer.
Well now that the deal with CBS is pretty much done and O & A are going to be simulcast on terrestrial. There was alot of talk of some new talent coming to XM 202. I hope Patrice O’Neal is part of that. I hope that XM is really going to grow the channel, now seems like the perfect time to do that while the iron is hot. I really enjoy Ron & Fez and would love to see more talent on XM 202….I think Lex and Terry would be a great addition as well.
Good things are going to be happening on that end of the dial I have a feeling
Lee Abrams is XMs Chief Creative Officer and he is also the one responsible for putting much of the Bob Dylan show (Theme Time Radio Hour) together. He now has a blog which chronicles the wholoe process. It’s very interesting to see how things unfolded. It seems like XM is putting alot of effort into this show, which is really aweesome. I do think the expectation for it is high. It is for me anyways
Here’s a link to Lee Abram’s Blog for those interested.
Thanks alot Lee for doing this I’m finding it very interesting.