Photo by Elijah O’Donnell
By Elijah O’Donnell
Being in the radio broadcasting program, I’ve had the opportunity to pursue so many weird side projects on NR92, NAIT’s campus radio station. This is my final Shuffle as the Entertainment Editor for the NAIT Nugget, as I will have to head off for practicum next semester. This list is a pick from each of the six radio shows I’ve gotten to create and run over the last three semesters, with a few of my favourite picks to fill the gaps. I hope you enjoy this eclectic look into my eclectic life.
“Can I Call You Tonight” – Dayglow
Starting off with a newer addition to the evergrowing playlist that is my life, Can I Call You Tonight really embodies how I’ve been feeling recently. Just a huge urge to call everyone and anyone who will pick up the phone and ramble with me for hours.
“Smoko” – The Chats
Smoking isn’t cool kids, but one thing all restaurant staff, construction workers and radio kids all have in common is when they’re on smoke break they want to be LEFT ALONE. I played this one on my first ever time on the radio, thanks to Bundas Bangers.
“When I Was Done Dying” – Dan Deacon
Dan Deacon really helped me shape my own view of what happens when you die. This song is a hearty, driving, nonsensical tale of just what happens after you die. It weird and I find some new meaning in the lyrics every time I listen to it. I don’t know exactly what happens when you’re dead, but I know it’s weird.
“Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression pt2” – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Brain Salad Surgery: The first ever album I played on my first ever radio show, Vinylize. The story behind this track’s title is as wild as it sounds. When they pressed the vinyl, the last song was too long at 28 minutes. They had to split it into three parts called “Impressions”. The first impression was too long still and had to be split again into parts one and two. Part one is the last song on the a-side and part two is the first on the b-side.
“Electric Love” – BORNS
This one is weird for me. We played it on CTRL+ALT+REPEAT and it instills this ‘blissful melancholy,” to steal the term from my co-host, Caleb. Maybe not in everyone, maybe not in anyone but me, but this one just feels like the auditory equivalent of leaning your tired head on a bus window at sunset.
“Gamma Knife” – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Anyone who knows me should know how much I love King Gizzard. Like seriously, they’re only the best seven-piece Australian alternative neo-psychedelic punk rock band of all time! And I will stand by that till I die. Gamma Knife was the first song I ever heard from them and it’s been all Gizz ever since.
“Stary Safari” – Mad Conductor
Another thing people should know about me is my weird love of reggae and saxophone solos. This track, cut straight from Urban Zoo, NR92s best stop for rap and hip hop, has both – plus one of the best flows I’ve heard in a minute. Highly recommended.
“Peev Shalpatene” – Canadian Softball
Sitting squarely in the middle of the “& More” section of Covers, Remixes, Mashups & More we have one of the weirdest tracks I’ve had the pleasure of discovering. The lyrics are literally just ripped straight from the scene in Revenge of the Syth where Emperor Palpatine recounts the tale of Darth Plagues The Wise to Anakin, but with a good good spoken word twist. You really have to hear it to believe it.
“Brokedown Palace” – Grateful Dead
I get most of my music taste from my dad, like most of us. If my Papa wasn’t blasting reggae records, it was Grateful Dead live show cassette tapes. In a time where everything I’ve known for the last year and a half of my life is coming to an end, I’ve grown attached to the final verse:
“Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul”
“A Farewell to Kings” – Rush
The last ode to my radio shows, Rush Hour was born out of a mutual love for the greatest Canadian rock trio of all time and a stupid pun. For the entirety of rush hour, we would give traffic updates and play exclusively Rush songs, with the occasional solo project from one of the three members thrown in for flavour. I played this song in dedication to my biggest inspiration in college: former editor, co-host and current best friend Tora when she had to leave the show for practicum in far off BC. Now it plays out this playlist. From Eli, now former Entertainment Editor, I bid you all farewell and adieu.
