Way back in the 1980s, Cleveland pop-noise masters DEATH OF SAMANTHA bubbled under the surface of the indie-pop miasma, becoming more influential than record sales and show attendance tallies would suggest.  2013 marked a 30th anniversary of their legendary debut/fiasco at a Cle eatery called Ground Round, and also marked the release of their first album in 24 years, If Memory Serves Us Well.  Hear snippets of an interview with ace DoS guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Doug Gillard and a whole buttload of DoS classics on this episode of Geek (Ema)Nation.  Cleveland rocks tonight, fellow music geeks!

1984 might have been associated with Government clampdown, but in the indie-rock world it was the best kind of anarchy, especially in Boston, MA.  Great bands formed by the minute, and often disappeared a few minutes later.  Luckily, Throbbing Lobster Records had the foresight to document the explosive scene of the day with some great compilations, of which Nobody Gets On The Guest-List was just the first.  Share in a Baked Beantown Massacre with me, fellow music geeks!

It’s birthday time for the Rock’N’Roll Nurse, and he’s taking the opportunity to do his most self-indulgent show yet!  All music played on this episode will be vinyl recordings that the RnRN contributed to between 1987-2012.  Hear rare “hits” by the likes of DASHING MARBLES, FUDGETUNNEL!, BALD COW, CHEEZE, GAG, TASTY BUSH, and many others.  It’s a self-promotion explosion, fellow music geeks!

The Chicago underground music scene of the early-to-mid 1980s is where yours truly The Rock’N’Roll Nurse cut his teeth as a lad, and this compilation LP from 1984 is a pretty good gathering of the hottest punk acts of the time.  Featuring choice tracks by NAKED RAYGUN, The EFFIGIES, BIG BLACK, ARTICLES OF FAITH, SAVAGE BELIEFS, NADSAT REBEL, RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED and OUT OF ORDER, this comp is a slice of Chicago music history that still rocks hard!  Cornponed hardcore for you, fellow music geeks!

Mr. Lewis Reed (AKA Lou Reed) was a songster/scenester/huckster who arguably was the most important influence on underground rock’n’roll music to this day.  Lester Bangs worshiped him and reviled him in seemingly equal amounts, and he could be utterly brilliant and completely obnoxious almost in the same breath.  This episode of GE will present a chronological overview of Mr. Reed’s career from the early 1960s to the late 1970s for your listening pleasure!

Mick Farren passed in July of this year, but his musical and writing accomplishments will live on for years to come.  As singer/songwriter/spiritual leader of The SOCIAL DEVIANTS (later The DEVIANTS) he preached musical revolution from the pulpits of many stages backed by an amazing array of influential musicians, some of whom would eventually morph into The PINK FAIRIES.  Hear the sounds of youth exploding in the 1960s and beyond on this incendiary episode of GE!

Bob Mulrooney (AKA Bootsey X) was a pivotal figure in Detroit garage history of the 1980s and 1990s, and his recent death brings back to light what a great musical force he was, even though he operated in near obscurity.  This episode of GE will include many great Detroit bands from the golden age of the 1990s, with plenty of on-the-spot commentary by the Rock’N’Roll nurse, and killer tracks by the likes of The LOVEMASTERS, The HENTCHMEN, WHITE STRIPES, DETROIT COBRAS, DIRTBOMBS, GORIES, and many more!

The early 1980s were a great time for New Wave in San Francisco, with 415 Records promoting plenty of great local acts like TRANSLATOR, WIRE TRAIN, RED ROCKERS and ROMEO VOID.  They also were responsible for this stellar compilation of largely (criminally!) overlooked bands like The OFFS and The MUTANTS, among others.  Get on that local New Wave, fellow music geeks!

GE takes yet another trip back to the swinging ’80s with this compilation from Columbia Records from 1984.  Hear the sounds of WHAM!, EUROGLIDERS, ROMEO VOID, BANGLES, DAVE EDMUNDS, RED ROCKERS and I AM SIAM as they were smushed together for this promo-only LP.  Another day for New Wave, fellow music geeks!

Back in the 1980s, Boston was a locus for great indie-rock (before it was even widely known as indie-rock).  Bands like MISSION OF BURMA blasted out a raw but intelligent sound across the nation.  Modern Method Records put out several fine compilations documenting the Boston sound of the time, and the first Wicked Good Time comp will be featured on this GE episode, with the likes of LA PESTE, BOYS LIFE, and YOUNG SNAKES (before they became ‘TIL TUESDAY) strutting their stuff.  More sounds from 30+ years ago, fellow music geeks!