In 1980 Berkeley’s Subterranean Records dropped a live recording that would define San Francisco’s Underground Post-Punk/Industrial scene and preserve it for history in a way that no other compilation record seems to have done. Live At Target features four fiercely and unrepentantly noisy bands reveling in breaking rules the Punk scene was too timid to attack. Host The Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays this remarkable document in its entirety, and then adds early singles by FLIPPER, and 12″s by THE WITCH TRIALS, FRIGHTWIG, and POP-O-PIES, all originally released on Subterranean. Time to break eardrums, fellow geeks!

At the end of the 1980s, New Folk music was sweeping San Francisco, and local label Subterranean Records was there to document it. After putting out dissonance fests by bands like FLIPPER and FRIGHTWIG, the label decided to tone down the noise and pump up the politics with a compilation released in 1990 called Devouring Our Roots. You’ll hear the entirety of this record, featuring local heroes like PENELOPE HOUSTON and The LONGSHOREMEN, and a selection of other Subterranean LPs from the collection of host The Rock’N'Roll Nurse. Folk off, music geeks!

Over 40 years ago, the NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND took on a project of immense generational and historical importance. In an effort to bring together three generations of country/folk musicians, they organized recording sessions with aging American music geniuses like MAYBELLE CARTER, ROY ACUFF, DOC WATSON, EARLE SCRUGGS, MERLE TRAVIS and others, recording new and old songs first or second take. The result is breathtaking, friendly, and revelatory on many different levels. Host The Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays as much of the 3-LP set as he can fit in a puny 2 hour time slot. Time to get edumacated on yer music history, fellow geeks!

Marty Thau started as a New York recording executive at legendary Buddah Records, then promoted the careers of proto-punk and new wave acts like NEW YORK DOLLS, RAMONES and BLONDIE, and ended up starting a label named Red Star Records, recording and releasing legendary LPs by FLESHTONES, REAL KIDS and SUICIDE. Host Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays the Marty Thau Presents 2×5 compilation in its entirety, and then fave tracks from all the bands listed above. Geek out with some vital music history, hipsters!

A bit over 30 years ago, SF mainstay punk publication MAXIMUM ROCK’N'ROLL released a groundbreaking hardcore punk compilation called “Not So Quiet On The Western Front” featuring offerings by 47 bands from Northern California and Nevada. More than a dusty historical document today, it exists as a memorable blast of energy from an underground scene on the verge of national and international breakout. The Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays the 2-LP original album in its entirety, and then adds some fave extras from local heroes ANGST. Skank like a geek, punks!

35 years ago (way back in 1978) a compilation of No Wave bands from NYC quietly made its way into unsuspecting record stores, and the underground music world would never be the same. The LP was called No New York, and was produced and assembled by BRIAN ENO, featuring blistering noisy quasi-pop by the likes of DNA, MARS, the CONTORTIONS and TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS. Though it made a pretty small splash at the time, it has come to be a major work in the No Wave canon, for better or worse. The Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays the original LP in its entirety, and spices things up with fave tracks from JAMES WHITE, the CONTORTIONS and LYDIA LUNCH. Hold your ears — it’s noise geek heaven!

Yet another of the illustrious labels associated with the Bomp!/Voxx labels, Alive Naturalsound Records has truly brought the vision of Bomp! founder Greg Shaw to the 21st Century. On tonight’s episode of Geek (Ema)Nation, your host the Rock’N'Roll Nurse plays the faboo comp entitled Never Give Up On Your Hallucinations in its entirety followed by a selection of his fave Alive NS records, including the NERVES, the PLIMSOULS, OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY and many others. Freak out and geek out, baby!

The 1980s brought a resurgence of interest in 1960s Psychedelic/Garage rock that arguably had its epicenter in Los Angeles with the “Paisley Underground”. Greg Shaw of Bomp! Records, after success nurturing the Pebbles compilations of obscure 1960s home-grown singles, created Voxx records to document the best of the ’80s Garage revival, and created the compilation series Battle Of The Garages to show off the cream of the crop. Geek (Ema)Nation proudly features the second half of Vol. 2 and the entirety of Vol. 3 in the series, along with some bonus songs by host The Rock’N’Roll Nurse’s faves THE PANDORAS, TRUE WEST and PLASTICLAND!

The 1980s brought a resurgence of interest in 1960s Psychedelic/Garage rock that arguably had its epicenter in Los Angeles with the “Paisley Underground”. Greg Shaw of Bomp! Records, after success nurturing the Pebbles compilations of obscure 1960s home-grown singles, created Voxx records to document the best of the ’80s Garage revival, and created the compilation series Battle Of The Garages to show off the cream of the crop. Geek (Ema)Nation will proudly feature the first two volumes in the series, along with some bonus songs by host The Rock’N'Roll Nurse’s faves THE EMBARRASSMENT!

Way down south in Los Angeles, Greg Shaw was a musical visionary from the 1960s to the 2000s whose influence on all kinds of underground musics should not be underestimated. He championed IGGY POP and the FLAMIN’ GROOVIES when no major label would give them the time of day, promoted the ROMANTICS, 20/20, PLIMSOULS and the SHOES before major labels had any idea who they were, and existed on the DIY edge of proto-punk/garage/power pop/indie rock long before it was cool. Tune into the Geek (Ema)Nation podcast to hear The Best Of Bomp! (Volume 1) and much, much more!

In the 1970s and early 1980s Berkleley was home to several great and influential record labels, including Fantasy Records (once home to CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL and SYLVESTER). But more beloved by true believers in power pop and underground rock was the Beserkeley label, started in 1973 by ace manager/producer Matthew King Kaufman. Over the course of the next 11 years Beserkeley was home to national acts like JONATHAN RICHMAN & THE MODERN LOVERS and Bay Area acts GREG KIHN and the RUBINOOS. Go Beserkley with this week's episode of Geek (Ema)Nation -- we dare you!

A breezy compendium of some primo Bay Area Funk/Soul/R&B from way back when. Includes choice cuts by COLD BLOOD, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, TOWER OF POWER and SYLVESTER among others. Includes some nice early work by NEAL SCHON who would eventually end up in a little ol' SF band named JOURNEY.