Jim
Aquino hosts and produces A
Fistful of Soundtracks (anytime at Live365.com and Sundays 2-4PM on KZSC
88.1 FM in Santa Cruz), writes for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers
in San Jose and notices that there are many differences between noncommercial
public radio and Internet radio. On noncommercial public radio, your program
has to break for really exciting public service spots about board games
at the library. On Internet radio, your program gets to break for commercials
for edible underwear. There's a George Carlin baseball-vs.-football-style
routine somewhere here...
The following is the liner notes from CD copies of
"My Big Fat Fistful of Soundtracks
Halloween Special" that I hand out to friends and colleagues:
If you're
not familiar with the Internet radio program A Fistful of Soundtracks,
here's a little background on Fistful. I began the program in 1997, during
my sophomore year at UC Santa Cruz. One of my favorite things to collect has
always been movie soundtrack albums, and back when I was in school, Central
Coast radio was missing the kind of program I always wanted to do: a program
centering on movie soundtracks, much like KFJC-FM's Norman Bates Memorial
Soundtrack Show. The title of my program is a homage to both my favorite
film composer, Ennio Morricone, who scored A Fistful of Dollars and A
Fistful of Dynamite, and Sergio Leone, the director of those two spaghetti
westerns, as well as one of my favorite filmmakers. Each two-hour episode of
Fistful has a title — one of the most fun parts of the program for
me is coming up with the episode titles — and a specific theme. Past ep
themes have included school, summertime, flying, superheroes, Bollywood, 007
main title theme songs, film scores from San Francisco-based detective flicks,
fighting in movies and the year 2001. In 2002 — in time for the program's
fifth anniversary — eps of Fistful began to be streamed at Fistful's 24-hour Internet radio station, which is powered by Live365, so the program expanded its audience
to include the entire world. Fistful is often a fun program to host and
produce, but sometimes, the program can get a little staid, which is why I always
look forward to Halloween season because the arrival of the holiday is my cue
to shake up the program's format for one episode and go buckwild…
You're
holding in your hands "My Big Fat Fistful of Soundtracks Halloween
Special," another one of my Fistful Halloween shows that mix
horror movie soundtrack music with sketch comedy and radio drama. The
kind of Halloween radio drama that I do is basically Orson Welles' old
Mercury Theater suspense dramas on crack. Comedy writing is something
I'd like to pursue someday, so I've used the Halloween and Christmas shows
as ways to practice that kind of writing. The "hosts" of "My
Big Fat Fistful of Soundtracks Halloween Special" are Lil'
Jo and his monosyllabic best friend Cease, characters that first popped
up in the 2001 Fistful Halloween Special. Lil' Jo was introduced
as my 10-year-old hellraiser cousin, dumped into my crib by his frustrated
family on Halloween night. During the 2001 special, I tried to tell scary
Halloween stories to make Lil' Jo and his homiez leave my crib, but they
wouldn't bounce.
I don't
actually have a 10-year-old cousin, but if I did, he'd probably be like Lil'
Jo. The kid is basically me when I was 13 or 14 or 15: I was pouty — well
actually, I still am from time to time, but anyway — when I was in my mid-teens,
I had a colossal chip on my shoulder, I hated white people (a bit of a hilarious
grudge now that I look back at it because I have relatives who are half-white,
and they're nice people) and I listened to gangsta rap. So when I created the
Lil' Jo character, I wanted to make fun of myself when I was 13, as well as
make fun of those little kid rappers who are trying to act all hard.
Who the fuck would actually buy those kids' albums? Real 'heads wouldn't be
caught dead with any of their CDs. Those kid rappers are hella annoying: Another
Bad Creation from back in the early '90s, Master P's little son, whose moniker
escapes me at the moment, and the Artist Formerly Known as Lil' Bow Wow, who's
apparently on the from-Ricky-to-Rick Schroeder tip now because he recently shed
the "Lil'" from his name. To me, watching those tykes try to act like
they're 21 and sippin' the Cristal and talking about tappin' that and gettin'
all up in that is as odd and bizarre and freakish an experience as watching
that Extreme Gong Show episode with those dwarves who dressed up and
sang as the Village People. I also wanted to make fun of Filipinos — or
anyone of any other race — who overdo trying to talk black (Christina Aguilera
at the MTV VMAs, anyone?) and have this weird and distorted notion of how to
be black.
Lil' Jo
may be a bit of an ass, but he also has some sympathetic qualities. For instance,
Lil' Jo and Cease hate it when Asians get stereotyped (something that happens
rarely) and would go psycho whenever they encounter some racist fool —
the Angry Asian Man.com camp would dig that
facet of their characters — yet Lil' Jo and Cease could also be accused
of being racist themselves for embracing the black thug-life stereotype. See?
I like making these characters complicated.
Oh, and
like Columbo always says, just one more thing… here's a brief glossary
of words and phrases that are said during the Halloween Special that might confuse
the Tagalogically challenged:
"Nagagalak akong nagkita tayo.": "I'm happy to see you."
"Salamat.": "Thanks."
"Kumusta?": "How are you?"
puwet: ass, booty, behind, posterior, gluteus
triple-X puwet: a nice ass (that's actually a term I made up that will
probably never catch on, like how Eddie Murphy made up the term "bubblin',"
which is Murphy-ese for "partying")
So enjoy
the special and if you don't care for the music, go ahead and skip to the sketches,
which are indexed separately at the end of each CD. I don't know what else to
say about the special, other than you'll never hear Christopher Cross' "Sailing"
the same way again.
Jimmy Aquino
DISC 1 (Total: 76:53)
1. Hour 1,
Act 1 - 31:24
"Teaser"
John Carpenter - "Halloween Theme" - Halloween
Ken Page with Ed Ivory - "Oogie Boogie's Song" - The Nightmare
Before Christmas
"Curse of the Were-Hippie"
Christopher Komeda - "Main Title (Vocal)" - Rosemary's Baby
Ennio Morricone - "Piume Di Cristallo" - The Bird with the
Crystal Plumage
Gene Wilder - "The Wondrous Boat Ride" - Willy Wonka and
the Chocolate Factory
Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle - "Puttin' on the Ritz" - Young
Frankenstein
2. Hour 1,
Act 2 - 26:55
"You Are Not Black!"
Vampire Sound Incorporated - "The Lions and the Cucumber" -
Vampyros Lesbos
Lalo Schifrin - "Scorpio's Theme" - Dirty Harry
"Kill Me Now!"
Goblin - "Suspiria (Main Title)" - Suspiria
"I Am DMX!"
Danny Elfman - "Main Titles" - Red Dragon
BONUS TRACKS
Hear the sketches without having to get through the music!
3. "Teaser" - 1:40
4. "Curse of the Were-Hippie" - 7:43
5. "You Are Not Black!" - 4:40
6. "Kill Me Now!" - 2:44
7. "I Am DMX!" - 1:30
DISC 2 (Total:
76:41)
1. Hour 2,
Act 1 - 31:16
Jerry Goldsmith - "Ave Satani" - The Omen: The Deluxe Edition
"I Want Candy"
John Williams - "Gillian's Power" - The Fury: The Deluxe
Edition
John Williams - "End Credits" - The Fury: The Deluxe Edition
James Newton Howard - "Main Titles" - Signs
"Shack Attack"
Marilyn Manson - "Resident Evil Main Title Theme" - Resident
Evil
Marilyn Manson - "Seizure of Power" - Resident Evil
"The Ring"
2. Hour 2,
Act 2 - 27:57
"My Big Fat Goblin Wedding"
"Attack of the Clone"
Gene Page - "Blacula Escapes" - Blacula
"Birds of Pray"
Levi Stubbs - "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" - Little
Shop of Horrors
"Dr. Pill"
Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara & Buffy - "I've Got a Theory/Bunnies/If
We're
Together" - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More, With Feeling
"Rap-Up"
BONUS TRACKS
Hear the sketches without having to get through the music!
3. "I Want Candy" - 4:14
4. "The Ring" - 0:42
5. "My Big Fat Goblin Wedding" - 1:58
6. "Dr. Pill" - 3:42
7. "Rap-Up" - 6:35
"The best music channel on the Internet. Period."
Here's
more listener e-mail, including some cool compliments, as well as yet another
letter about the station's sound levels (Shit! Didn't anybody listen to what
I said about sending me e-mails regarding the sound levels?!) ...
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From: "Becky
Bates" <shibbysaxgurl@… >
Date: Sun, 06 Oct 2002 13:21:57 -0500
Subject: Thanx!
A hoy-hoy,
Thank
you so much for playing my songs! I love your show! You play a lot of
John Williams, which I love, and it always brings back good band memories
for me, since we've played almost everything he has ever wrote. I was
especially thrilled to here "Prolouge" from Harry Potter since
I'm a big HP dork and that is one of the few John Williams works I haven't
played in band yet. There is another song I'd like to here, but I can't
really rember what it's was called, I think it was "March from 1941,"
that we played in my freshman year.
Thank you,
Becky
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From: "Andres
Rojas-Murphy" <arojas_murphy@… >
Subject: saludos
Date: Sun, 06 Oct 2002 04:28:09 +0000
From CHILE saludos y felicitaciones por su programacion
i like your radio and music of movie
ATENTAMENTE
ANDRÉS ROJAS-MURPHY F.
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From: "Andrés_Rojas-Murphy"
<arojas_murphy@… >
Subject: saludos
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 00:24:03 -0400
desde CHILE saludos y felicitaciones por su musica de peliculas
from CHILE
congratulation for your music of movie, sorry by my ingles
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Date: Fri,
11 Oct 2002 00:55:52 -0700
From: "Frank Tsung" <tsung@… >
Subject: Request
Hi Jim:
I just
found your station on my iTune and I enjoy your show(s) a lot. (I hope
that was enough ass kissing to get my request through.. :-) )
Anyway,
I am wondering if you have the harmonica piece from the French Film "Jean
de Florette"? I believe it's called "Force of Destiny"
by Verdi.
Thanks
a lot.
Frank Tsung
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Date: Sat,
12 Oct 2002 17:51:18 -0400
Subject: Request
From: "Jason Agouris" <iTristan@… >
Hey Jimmy
Mac - show's great man.
I listen
whenever I can here at work and home in Toronto, Canada.
I'd love
it if you could play a cue (or two) from The Red Violin.
Keep it
up, even after you split off from KZSC
Jason
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Date: Sun,
13 Oct 2002 12:22:03 -0800
Subject: Hi Jim
From: "Matthew Allen" <matman@… >
Matt Allen
here
I want
to thank you for your work broadcasting A Fistful of Soundtracks. I
am a video editor/ graphics animator. I listen to your show a lot when
I'm producing 2d and 3d graphics. It inspires my craft. I love movie music
- like a good radio drama it not only sets the mood but it makes you "see"
the action with your minds eye.
Best
of luck with your "moving on". Maybe this is something you can
get back to when your successfully retired.
here is
my URL.
Hey
I just thought of one more theme you could do a show on ,.. "peace",..
In contrast to all the action (violence) - In hopes of maintaining a peaceful
world for our kids. Movies like,... Kundan,.... Temptation of Christ,..
I'm sure you'd be able to think of many more.
peace ,..
and thanks again.
Matman
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Date: Fri,
18 Oct 2002 23:11:28 -0400
Subject: Movie tune Request
From: "Jeff Walker" <jeff.henry@… >
Hi there
jim,
Just
discovered you on my iTunes and like the show so far. I'd love to hear
the soundtrack to BladeRunner the end theme. Or possibly something from
The Dark Crystal?
Good show...keep
up the good work.
Jeff
Ontario, Canada
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From: "Patrick"
<conan_thanoz@… >
Subject: intro audio
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 21:22:37 -0700
Hey, the program is great, the commentary's great and all - love the mailbag
girl too. But the intro audio thing kinda spikes real loud where it hits the
"1997" with your voice, then it spikes again really loud with that
flute sort of sound right at the end. It would be great if you could fix that
since other than that I find the station relaxing - the little sound spikes
though are like hearing an alarm clock! … Otherwise great work. Some suggestions
for music to play - hit up some Danny Elfman man!!! There's so much good content
there, all of the Edward Scissorhands songs are sweet. Also a bit more Vangelis
from the Blade Runner soundtrack, try Rachel's Song and Tears in Rain, it's
great stuff. Keep up the good work - and don't take this as negative criticism
at all, I really do like the station and I want to see it really take flight
on the net even more and the best way to do that is to make it easy to listen
to right? Content I'll leave up to you but please man, just please fix the intro
audio thing it gets sooo loud on at least those 2 spots - with that fixed I
think people can really stick to this station a lot longer.
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Date: Tue,
22 Oct 2002 02:00:22 -0600
From: "Jason James" <jtravisj@… >
Subject: The Mail Lady
Hello -
am enjoying this immensely. Actually, your mail lady tonight has a full,
beautiful laugh.
You know, for a long time I've been trying to get the Fletch Soundtrack
- you wouldn't have any of the instrumentals there, do you? I think the
music was done by the same person as Beverly Hills Cop, Mike Post?
Thanks,
Jason from Canada.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From: nigel@…
Subject: request please! :)
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 15:46:25 -0700
Hey Jim,
Just
discovered your internet station on iTunes. Excellent stuff! You don't
know HOW many times I've looked for a station like yours. A perfect example
of how internet radio can bring people great music you'd never hear on
regular radio. I hope you grow your station into a MEGA ONLINE EMPIRE!!!
AHH HAH HA HA!!
Ahem...anyway.
:) I have one request please. Can you play the theme from Lord of the
Rings? That would be swell. Also, if you have them, the themes from High
Noon or Elvira Madigan and the "Descent to the deep" (or something
like that name) part of the score from The Spy Who Loved Me. Cool stuff.
God there's
so much movie music I want to hear!
Thanks
again for all your hard work. YOU ROCK!
Nigel
Los Angeles, CA
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Date: Mon,
28 Oct 2002 16:45:23 -0800 (PST)
From: "William Ryan" <williryan@... >
... you rule. More specifically, your fistful of soundtracks program is
the best music channel on the internet. Period.
Thanks!
See previous
"Intros"
October
2002: Fistful will become an Internet-only program
August
2002: Forgotten music video hotties and recent episodes of Fistful
on Live365
July
2002: Listener requests and favorite summertime TV shows, and also,
another peek into the Fistful mailbag
June
2002: Fistful's fifth anniversary
May
2002: Spider-Man, "Fistful Internacional Month"
and Cowboy Bebop
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