Playlist For Radio What Wave October 5 2020, Tribute To Al Cole
This edition is a special tribute to Al Cole who passed away this spring. Al moved to London approx. 1980 and from there did everything from; create posters (over 30 in Graphic Underground: London 1977-1990), was one of the first DJ’s on CHRW with his Young Fast And Scientific radio show, booked shows, managed The Hippies, sang in The Bloodbrothers, started What Wave zine and so much more!! And that was just diring his approx. 4 years while living in London and going to school!
Prior and afterwards he was an employee at Star Records in Oshawa, helper at the Star Club, created posters and so much more!!! And his vast knowledge and enthusiasm about music was never ending and contagious!! Turned so many on to great music that most of us still appreciate to this day!
This one’s for you Al!
- Gruesomes…..What Wave…..from Mr Garager’s Neighbourhood and lately been our show opener.
- Flamin’ Groovies….Shake Some Action….from the 12” EP from 1976. First heard the Groovies on the radio on Al’s fantastic Young Fast And Scientific Radio Show. We’d read about the Groovies in Cream, Trouser Press, New York Rocker, Trouser Press and all those other rock mags, but they’d never play them on the radio!
- Panther Burns….She’s The One That’s Got It….from Behind The Magnolia Curtain release from 1981 and another band Al introduced me to. Panther Burns played Fryfogles here in London right around this time and it was great!
- Zantees….Please Give Me Something….from their 1980 Out For Kicks release and another that Al intro-ed me to via the radio show. They finally make it to London in 1990 under the new name of The A Bones.
- Zellots….On The Dole….from a 1980 practice and a band that Al did many posters for.
- Shakin’ Jack and the Rattlesnake Jakes….Ice Cream Man…from the Domestic Animals release and another band that Al did many posters for.
- Hippies….How You Gonna Live…from their 1982 7” and Al was their manager.
- Hippies…Simple Song….demo from 7/22/1983 and as above.
- Gun Club….Sex Beat….from their 1981 Fire Of Love release and Al and company interviewed the band in What Wave #3.
- The Shakers….Out The Door….from a 1979 7” and another combo that Al interviewed in What Wave #3. Dave Rave, now vocalist for Teenage Head was in the band and part of the interview.
- Tom Wilson and the Florida Razors….NYC….from an early 80’s 7” and the band was interviewed in What Wave #3.
- Durango 95….Lorraine….from their 1983 Lose Control release. Al was a huge fan of D95 as they came from Oshawa, his home town. Remember Al brought them into Cultural House (part of the Embassy Hotel here in London) and they put on a great show, but delayed as the opening band, The Catch didn’t want to quit playing and let Durango on to do their show.
- X….The Unheard Music….from their 1980 Los Angeles release and somehow appropriate as Al loved the obscure and cool music that rarely made the radio. X were interviewed in WW #4.
- Feast Of The Mau Maus….Feast Of The Mau Maus….recorded live at Joe Kools by Tim McLaughlin and were interviewed in What Wave #4.
- Carolyn and the Wayouts…How You Gonna Know….home recording with Al on vocals and probably Bryan Young on bass. No idea who else was involved in this.
- Bill Barr…..At The Brunswick….Al under his alias that he used in What Wave (and probably other places) in which he would discuss the merits of the older taverns and hotels of downtown. This was documented in many issues of What Wave zine over the years.
- Deja Voodoo…Monsters In My Garager…from their 1982 7” records. It was at a DV show at the Victoria (here in London Ontario) that Al passed over the reins of WWzine to myself and Rena. And not longer after this (Sept 1984) Al moved back to his hometown of Oshawa.
- Deja Voodoo…Big Scary Daddy….from their 1984 Cemetery release. DV were huge supporters of WW over the years.
- Boy From Nowhere…..I Need You….recorded live at the Brunswick mid 80’s. Al was in The Bloodbrothers as vocalist, when he decided to leave, Jon Traut came in and the band was re-named Boy From Nowhere.
- Jon Traut…..talking about The Brunswick
- Purple Toads….Gonna Have A Good Time….live recording at the Star Club from 10/12/1985 and Al was most likely present at this show.
- Raunch Hands….Ford….from a live recording at the Star Club 10/12/1985 and Al was definitely at this show as he shows up in a picture or two.
- Charlie Pickett and the Eggs….American Travelust….recorded live at the Star Club 2/9/1985 and Al was most likely at this show.
- Charlie Pickett and the Eggs....Meigs County... as above
- Cheshyres….I Think It’s Gonna Work Out Fine….recorded live at the Star Club 9/20/1986 and Al was most likely at this show.
- Smithereens….Groovy Tuesday….recorded live at The Star Club 3/22/1986. Pretty sure Al shows up in a picture from this show. This was Smithereens second show in Canada, the previous night they played in Toronto. And this was right before their international breakout!
- Smithereens….Beauty and Sadness….as above. Should mention The Smithereens had a replacement guitar player for these 2 shows as their regular guitar mangler Jim Babjak couldn’t make it for some reason.
- Evan Johns and the H Bomb…..Instrumental….recorded live at the Star Club recorded 6/11/1988. Al was definitely at this show.
- Starkweather….Aluminum Baseball Bat…from the 1993 release This Band Has Seconds To Live and No Foregiveness To Spare. Local combo featuring Simon Oates who has some really nice quotes about Al in the Wooly Toque fanzine dedicated to Al.
- Brown Hornets….South Oshawa Drug Mule…from their self titled release from 2007 and another of the local bands that Al supported. We got to see Brown Hornets a couple of times and they were fantastic live!
- Bradley Boy…Old 59…from his 2011 Salt Gun release and another local artist that Al helped out. Bradley Boy was one of the artists who played at Mike Shulga’s Memorial Show in Oshawa. Sadly, that show was the last time we saw Al.
- Catl….Outlaw Blues…..from their 2009 first release that Al and his wife Dana put out on their record label Coletrain Music. Catl have appeared many many times here in London over the years. Radio WW was the first to bring them in, long before we knew about the Al Cole connection. Guess we learned well from Al.
- Catl….Ragged and Dirty….. as above.
Thanx to all that tuned in!! And Thanx for all the fantastic feedback for this one!!! This one is for Al Cole, wherever you are, hope you dug the show!!!
On next week’s episode, we’ll play a couple more tracks recorded with Al singing. We’ll have The Clumps (short lived band in which Al was singer and Rob Sweeney played guitar) and Al and Lindsay Young doing a couple tunes. Huge Thanx to Rob and Lindsay for digging out these ancient tapes!!!