Bird Full of Yard

In their brief lifetimes, the Yardbirds proved to be as seminal as any British rock group from the 60s. Springing from the churning blues rock scene, they infused passion and bruising guitar licks with attitude that was way cooler in ways than that of the Stones and even the Beatles. The closest they came to psychedelic were the haunting Shapes of Things and Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, and nobody outside of Dylan voiced social concerns with such rock panache as You’re a Better Man Than I. This week’s wog showcases the soulful, bluesful side of a truly great rock band.
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Wave your Wand and Wog

There IS magic in music, so why not use that magic to your advantage? Here’s 38 brisk minutes of songs that have magical words and magical melodies to help your feet fly: from 60s pop (Lovin’ Spoonful, Jay and the Americans) to more contemporary artists Sarah McLachlan and the Magic Numbers. So get on the Magic Bus, build your mystery, and start believing. Wog on, at Podwogging.com!

Inhalin’ Van

If you were a teenage rock fan in the late 70s, chances are you had at least a passing fling with Van Halen. Hell, I was in my late twenties, and I even had a night or two out with Eddie and the boys. Definitely a guilty pleasure, Van Halen—best to leave the cerebral cortex behind and just rock. So might as well jump back to those arena nights, put ‘em on your pod, and start jogging with the devil. And don’t forget to exhale!

What’s up with iTunes’ iMix?

A number of the playlists I’ve posted as iMixes in iTunes have suddenly dropped songs, even though the total minutes given is the same as before. And some lists have disappeared altogether. This is really sad. Because now I’m not sure I’ll be able to post my great wogging lists as iMixes.

Does Apple care? Probably not.

Podwogging.com.

Funk in My Trunk

Can you imagine a world without funk? “What the world needs now...is funk, sweet funk...” Seriously, I can think of no better way to get my feet moving than to slip on some Isley Brothers or Marvin Gaye, and that’s the just the beginning. So this week’s wog is 72 glorious minutes of the best funk I’ve got in my trunk. Kicking off with Parliament tearing off the roof and finishing with Brick throwing a Dazz at you, it will serve up some fresh Wild Cherry for your Brothers Johnson and Sister Sledge. Rick James, Ohio Players, Hot Chocolate, Average White Band, and more...how can you resist? Get the whole playlist for your exercising pleasure at Podwogging.com.

(4/27/09)

10538 Überture

Taking their cue from the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby, the Electric Light Orchestra could have been called the Electric String Orchestra. Nobody then or since has combined violins and cellos so successfully with more traditional guitar and keyboards in rock and pop music. This week’s wog is nearly an hour of delightful ELO, ranging from their cello-heavy early days to their progressive mid-seventies sound (I’ll leave their disco to somebody else). Though an ÜberWog, the pace is light—just perfect for a stroll high on a hill...in El Dorado!

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Whole Lotta Love

No, I’m not talking early Led Zeppelin, I’m just talking Love, Baby, one of the best groups the 60s had to offer. The Doors named them as a big influence, and their 1967 album Forever Changes has been named as one of the best rock albums ever, by Allmusic.com. They never made it huge because front man Arthur Lee didn’t like to tour, and like fellow LA band Spirit, their sound was perhaps too difficult to pin down for the industry moguls. They ARE a bit quirky, but that’s why I like them. My Little Red Wog is 38 minutes long of unpredictable sounds and rhythms. Go to Podwogging.com for the complete list.

A Tale of Two Brothers

Yeah, I know—the Bee Gees were three brothers, not two. But can you think of a pop group with a more distinct double phase to their history? You Should Be Walking, this week’s wog, explores both their melancholy, orchestral pop of the 60s, as well as their better known, more upbeat, disco-driven hits of the 70s.

Barry Gibb, so perfectly parodied by SNL’s Jimmy Fallon, is the only singer I can think of who actually sounds better in falsetto than in “normal” voice mode. And while they never reached the funky delights of say, a Donna Summer, their songs also never descended into the mawkish, lightweight sentimentality that eventually killed disco.

As to my wog, I discovered a secret: catchy dance songs are often irresistible Skiplekers, even when the pace is a brisk walk. How else can I explain my inspired skipping breaks to You Should Be Dancing, which at 124 BPM is the wog’s fastest number?

Anyway, this is a fun walk for a breezy spring day. Find the whole playlist at Podwogging.com.