On this installment, I’ll be exploring the vast musical universe of Dan Melchior, who has been actively making music for over 20 years now. Probably for many listeners of this show, Melchior needs little introduction. Emerging from the late 90’s garage rock scene in the UK while recording with the likes of Billy Childish and Holly Golightly and later relocating to the United States in 2000, Melchior has gone on to produce a wide-ranging body of work, both as a solo artist and in various collaborations and groups, that has found him moving from raw garage rock into deconstructed blues and folk and further outward into more avant-garde sound works and beyond. Melchior’s prolific output spills over into visual art where he has produced countless paintings, collages, and drawings over the years too. More recently, Melchior has ventured into podcasting, starting an entertaining new radio-style program called Quality Street that features music selections that are even more genre-hopping than his own back catalog. Taken as a whole, Mechior’s creative output could easily be the subject of a multiple-part feature series, but I’m joining to try and cover as much ground as possible over the next two hours.
I was fortunate to get to speak with Dan this past week and we discussed various aspects of his music-making over the years, including some of his more recent activities like his foray into a form of virtual busking that he’s been doing during these months of lockdown. Prior to this show, we put out an open call for song requests for Dan to perform on this episode for a small donation, and Dan went ahead and recorded proper versions of these requested songs, putting his own personal stamp on each one. So, in addition to hearing my recent interview with Dan throughout this episode, you’ll also hear tracks from several releases from his back catalog, and later in the show, you’ll also get to hear those requested cover versions that Dan recorded too. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to get in touch if you have any comments or questions. As always, thanks for looking and listening.
- ~Introductory Music: Dan Melchior “Dogwood Sodium Green” Odes (Cudighi)
- The Broke Revue “Jumper On The Line” Old-Time Futureshock (Milou Studios)
- Dan Melchior’s Broke Revue “I’m A Robot” Static Disaster: The U.K. In The Red Records Sampler (In The Red)
- Dan Melchior’s Broke Revue “Self Preservation Medication” Gud’Bye Ta Sluggo! (Plastic Records)
- ~Interview segment with Dan Melchior~
- Dan Melchior und das Menace “O! Anxiety” Thankyou Very Much (S-S Records)
- Dan Melchior und das Menace “Ride In A Van” The Unknown Das Menace Vol. 1 (self-released)
- Dan Melchior “Stairway To Croydon” Assemblage Blues (Siltbreeze)
- Melchior Rodman “Paulix Redux” (excerpt) Rodman Melchior Melchior Rodman (Fabrica)
- ~Interview segment with Dan Melchior~
- **Requested cover versions:
- The Fall “Dice Man”
- Jr. Chemists “Building A Fort”
- Brian Eno “Golden Hours”
- Peter Cetera “The Glory of Love”
- ~Interview segment with Dan Melchior~
- The Lloyd Pack “Itchy Gnomes” A Tribute (Amish)
- Mouse Sluts “Mouse Sluts” S/T (Bruit Direct Disques)
- Contributors “It’s A Natural Low” S/T (Monofonus Press)
- Dan Melchior Band “Rye Whiskey” Outside In (Midnight Cruiser)
- Dan Melchior Group “Black Hat” Ruins (Heel Turn)
- Dan Melchior “I’m Never Bored” Embankment To The End Of The Line (Gertrude Tapes)
- Dan Melchior & P.G. Six “Photographs” Exhibit A (Feeding Tube)
- Dan Melchior “Happy Good Night” Odes (Cudighi)
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