Albert's Place

Only digitized an hour of old audio cassettes this evening, delayed from original plans due to copying a new, non-downloadable podcast to the hard drive (has to be recorded while listening, otherwise "lost"), then having to do some repairs beforehand before I could transfer the cassette of the old Tape and Record Show Enterprises "broadcast" tape next on the digitation list...

"James Stricklin Musical Muse Countdown: Episode 2, Broadcast Monday, February 25, 1985 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Careless Whisper(Wham!). Hosts: James Stricklin and "Calvert Mimms"(Albert Sims). Songs: Sugar Walls(Sheena Easton), Method of Modern Love(Daryl Hall and John Oates), California Girls(David Lee Roth), The Heat Is On(Glenn Frey), Neutron Dance(The Pointer Sisters), I Want To Know What Love Is(Foreigner), Can't Fight This Feeling(REO Speedwagon), Easy Lover(Philip Bailey, with Phil Collins), Loverboy(Billy Ocean), Careless Whisper(Wham!). Also features a brief phone conversation with Jerry Sanders, who talks about The Pointer Sisters."

The Jerry Sanders phone-in segment was overlayed during "Neutron Dance", so I'm sure, since James didn't mention it during the recording,it was recorded after the initial recording and I added it in editing before the "broadcast". James and I apparently also "corrected" a statement made by Casey Kasem on his countdown show, via my then in-house Britannica Encyclopedia (WAY pre-internet).

You would assume (NEVER ASS-U-ME) a higher dollar "Memorex" branded cassette from back in the day would be "great" from their advertising, but quite the opposite. First, the tapes were a bit more muffled and bassy than other brands even when new. I've learned during this digitization project that those tapes also don't "age well". The tape transferred tonight was the second in a row of the same make/model in which I had to replace the pressure pad, not once, but technically TWICE. Those Memorex tapes, where the housing was glued, instead of screwed together, also had a weird "recessed" pad mount, so, since the original pad had disintegrated, I had to replace it with TWO standard pads, one adhesed on top of another to get the height right for the player head. The old "Alcon" and "Certron" el-cheapo cassettes (which were sold in 3-packs, without cases) have had a higher modern success rate for me than Memorex!

In an earlier post a few evenings ago, I stated all episodes of "The James Stricklin Song Mirage" had been digitized. Well, I lied. I had completely forgotten about the two "year end" three hour specials from New Years' 1984 and 1985, in which James re-capped several songs played on the show during the year. So, tonight, I digitized the second of the two specials...

"James Stricklin Song Mirage: 1985 Year In Review. Broadcast Wednesday, January 1,1986 at 12:38am central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin and Albert Sims. Songs in this three hour year end retrospective include: Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me(Culture Club), Lucky Star(Madonna), Rubber Biscuit(The Blues Brothers), Hello Again(The Cars), Turn Up The Radio(Autograph), Atomic Dog(George Clinton), Wild Boys(Duran Duran), Talking Back(The Gap Band), Winds of Change(Jefferson Starship), Bad Reputation(Joan Jett and The Blackhearts), Crawfish(Elvis Presley), Monster Mix(Randy Haney), Sussudio(Phil Collins), Blue Moon(The Marcels), We Want Prince(Sexual Harrassment), Kentucky Rain(Elvis Presley/Randy Haney), 19(Paul Hardcastle), Makin' It(David Naughton/Jacob J. Welsh), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(The Beatles/James Stricklin/Randy Haney), The Longest Time(Billy Joel/James Stricklin/Randy Haney), St. Elmo's Fire(John Paar), The Show(Doug E. Fresh and The Get Fresh Crew), No Show(Symbolic Three), All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight(Hank Williams, Jr./James Stricklin/Paul Morrison), State of Shock(Harvey Leeds), Money For Nothing(Dire Straits)."

Unlike the 1984 year end retrospective, which just played songs from the previous year that "aired" on the Song Mirage, the 1985 retrospective included actual clips from episodes "aired" during the year, with new discussions about the clips by James and I between the clips. so guess it could be classified as a "clip show". This was yet another recording in which the secondary "broadcast copy" seems to be missing from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises "archives" (aka "the bedroom closet"), so I had to use the original "master" audio cassettes for the digitization. However, this was a recording which required no extra editing, so it is exactly how the "broadcast copy" would have sounded. The original recording date on the "master" version was Sunday, December 29, 1985.

In an earlier post a few evenings ago, I stated all episodes of "The James Stricklin Song Mirage" had been digitized. Well, I lied. I had completely forgotten about the two "year end" three hour specials from New Years' 1984 and 1985, in which James re-capped several songs played on the show during the year. So, tonight, I digitized the first of the two specials...

"James Stricklin Song Mirage: 1984 Year In Review. Broadcast Tuesday, January 1,1985 at 12:20am central. Theme Music: Can You Feel It(The Jacksons). Hosts: James Stricklin and Albert Sims. Songs in this three hour year end retrospective include: 1999(Prince), Crime Pays(Daryl Hall and John Oates), Rockit(Herbie Hancock), Freak-A-Zoid(Midnight Star), Heart Attack(Olivia Newton-John), Head Over Heels(The GoGo's), Ghostbusters(Ray Parker, Jr), Stay The Night(Chicago), Infatuation(Rod Stewart), Don't Pay The Ferryman(Chris DeBurgh), Obscene Phone Caller(Rockwell), Let's Go Crazy(Prince and the Revolution), Cleaning Up The Town(The Bus Boys), Rock Me Tonight(Billy Squire), Dirty Laundry(Don Henley), Eyes Without A Face(Billy Idol), Sad Songs Say So Much(Elton John), Hard Times(Run D.M.C.), Valley Girl(Frank and Moon Unit Zappa), Boogie Shoes(K.C. and The Sunshine Band), We're Not Gonna Take It(Twisted Sister), Cruel Summer(Bananarama), Blue Jean(David Bowie), Low Rider(War), You Make My Dreams(Daryl Hall and John Oates), Strut(Sheena Easton), Borderline(Madonna), Jungle Love(Morris Day and The Time), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(Paul Nicholas and The Bee Gees), Come Together(Aerosmith), Come Together(The Beatles), Working In The Coal Mine(Devo), It's Nasty(Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five)."

This was yet another recording in which the secondary "broadcast copy" seems to be missing from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises "archives" (aka "the bedroom closet"), so I had to use the original "master" audio cassettes for the digitization. However, this was a recording which required no extra editing, so it is exactly how the "broadcast copy" would have sounded. The original recording date on the "master" version was December 21, 1984.

This post kind of reminds me of the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab controversy currently going on. Seems that instead of using all analog masters, they've been cheating on their newer vinyl releases, and using digital masters, and this has audio "purists" highly upset. Unlike MFSL, Tape and Record Show Enterprises has never claimed anything "pure" about our digitizations. You're thinking to yourself, "Well, these digitizations are coming from audio cassettes, so the source is 100% analog anyway". Well... not necessarily. A few early episodes of some TRSE series were re-digitized from CD-R recordings I made around 25 years ago on a standalone Philips branded CD recorder(before I had my first computer) from the audio cassettes, so I guess you could say "digital masters" were used in those cases. Using the already digital CD-R's of those few shows saved some time in the current digitization project, and none of the old recordings are "high fidelity" anyway.

This evening, digitized another season six Tape and Record Show Enterprises "flagship" episode of "The Tape and Record Show", and the first episode of "The James Stricklin Musical Muse Countdown" from the audio cassette archives...

"The Tape & Record Show: Episode 431, Broadcast Friday, November 16, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: One Thing Leads To Another(The Fixx). Night Boat To Cairo(Madness) / "Lux Radio Theater: To Have and Have Not" - Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall star in this radio adaption of the popular movie about criminal intrigue in a 1940 coastal community. William Keighley hosts.

James Stricklin Musical Muse Countdown: Episode 1, Broadcast Monday, February 18, 1985 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Careless Whisper(Wham!). Hosts: James Stricklin and "Calvert Mimms"(Albert Sims). A reformat of the "James Stricklin Song Mirage" which counts down the top ten popular songs of the week, as listed by Billboard magazine. Songs: California Girls(David Lee Roth), The Boys of Summer(Don Henley), The Heat Is On(Glenn Frey), Can't Fight This Feeling(REO Speedwagon), Neutron Dance(The Pointer Sisters), Method of Modern Love(Daryl Hall and John Oates), Loverboy(Billy Ocean), Easy Lover(Philip Bailey, with Phil Collins), I Want To Know What Love Is(Foreigner), Careless Whisper(Wham!)."

Episode 431 of "The Tape and Record Show" is the complete October 14, 1946 "Lux Radio Theater" radio broadcast of "To Have or Have Not". This is the second time the show appeared on "The Tape and Record Show", the first being in season two, split into multiple parts over episodes 169, 174, 180, 186, and 189.

James Stricklin tried a new project in early 1985, putting the "Song Mirage" on hiatus, and substituting the "Musical Muse Countdown" hour in its place, which ran for eight episodes. At the time, I was spending a small fortune on a yearly subscription to "Billboard" magazine, so decided to put the weekly "popular song" chart to good use. Also, thanks to the local "Orbit Records", I was able to purchase the 45rpm singles needed for the show. Remember, this was "pre-internet", so it wasn't like I could just purchase and download the songs. Needless to say, being a weekly countdown show, there was a HUGE amount of repetition from week to week, just the songs in a slightly different order, and a few new songs sprinkled in occasionally. The version of "Careless Whisper" used for the theme music was the instrumental version, which was on the B-side of the original release of the single. I reprised my studio janitor character originated on the "Song Mirage" as co-host of the show. Two songs from the soundtrack album of "Beverly Hills Cop" were in the top ten that week, "The Heat Is On" and "Neutron Dance".

The "broadcast" tape of the first "Musical Muse Countdown" was a pain in the ass to digitize. First, the pressure pad had severely shrank over the years, prompting me to replace it. Second, the tape kept wanting to "hang" for some reason I couldn't figure out near the start of sides one and two, causing the player to shut off, so several seconds are missing from the transfer as a result. Didn't bother taking the tape apart to investigate, since the housing was glued, instead of screwed together. "Memorex" wasn't NEAR as good as they claimed to be with their "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" advertisements at the time, and this particular cassette was one of the more "premium" normal bias tapes they sold at the time in those brown tinted soft plastic cases. Even NEW, their cassettes had a bit of a "flat" sound response in my decent JVC equipment back then compared to other brands.

Two more season six "flagship" episodes from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises audio archives digitized tonight...

"The Tape & Record Show: Episode 429, Broadcast Friday, November 2, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: One Thing Leads To Another(The Fixx). I'm Alright(Kenny Loggins) / "Movie: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" - The Python gang takes a satirical look at the different stages of life. Part 1:Birth, Part 2: The Third World, Part 3: Growth and Learning, Part 4: Middle Age, Part 5:Live Organ Transplants, Part 6: The Autumn Years, Part 7: Death. / "The Audio Artist: Eating Celery". / Heart Attack(Olivia Newton-John) / I Eat Cannibals(Total Coelo).

The Tape & Record Show: Episode 430, Broadcast Friday, November 9, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: One Thing Leads To Another(The Fixx). "Quiet Please: The Thing On The Fourble Board" - The story of a man who discovered a creature from the depths of the earth which climbed up through an oil well. A radio classic from September 18, 1948. / "Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Buzz Aldrin Show" - Skits: Gumby Announcement, Architects Sketch, How to Recognise a Mason, Anti-Masonic Therapy (Cartoon), Insurance Sketch, The Bishop, Living Room on Pavement, Poets, An Interview with a Nude Man, The Five Frog Curse (Cartoon), Chemist Sketch, A Less Naughty Chemist. / "The Audio Artist: AM Radio"."

The Monty Python "movie" on episode 429 isn't ACTUALLY the movie audio, but instead it's the soundtrack album to "The Meaning of Life", which contains mostly audio FROM the film. The "Audio Artist" is another of the short segments I created loosely based on the old USA Network "Night Flight" segment "The Video Artist" which featured avant-garde short films, this segment features an annoying few minutes of me crunching celery into a microphone.

Episode 430 featured a classic radio show from 1948, a classic "Monty Python's Flying Circus" episode from 1970, and another short "Audio Artist" segment. The segment included in this episode isn't quite as annoying as the one in the previous episode, since it's just audio of me manually going up and down the local AM band radio dial. There were a couple more AM stations in the area back then than today. Haven't tuned into AM in ages, but I think we are down to TWO stations on that bandwidth today, consisting of mainly conservative radio blather. Fun Fact: A "fourble board" is a platform at a height of 80 feet or more above the floor of an oil derrick.

The final five official episodes of "The James Stricklin Song Mirage" from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises audio archives digitized and backed up this evening...

"James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 90. Broadcast Monday, February 10,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin (as "The Bad Man"), Albert Sims. An episode recorded "live" at "The Dream Delicatessen". Songs include: Wait For You(Bohan), Stone Cold Crazy(Metallica), Jet City Woman(Queensryche), Lick It Up(KISS). Part One of Two.

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 91. Broadcast Monday, February 17,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin (as "The Bad Man"), Albert Sims. An episode recorded "live" at "The Dream Delicatessen". Songs include: Edge of Seventeen(Stevie Nicks), If Loving You Is Right(Barbara Mandrell), Love and Understanding(Cher), What's Love Got To Do With It(Tina Turner). Part Two of Two.

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 92. Broadcast Monday, October 11,1999 at 8:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims. Songs include: Ray of Light(Madonna), Smoke On The Water(Deep Purple), New York Rap(Benny Hill).

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 93. Broadcast Monday, October 18,1999 at 8:30pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims. Songs include: Angel(Sarah McLachlan), Shout It Out Loud(KISS), Children's Fables(Redd Foxx), Separate Ways[World's Apart](Journey), Love Will Lead You Back(Taylor Dayne). [Final Broadcast Episode]

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 94. Previously Unreleased Episode Recorded on Monday, February 24, 1992. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims, and Paul Morrison. Songs include: Fever(The Neville Brothers), It's All These Things(The Neville Brothers), Drift Away(The Neville Brothers), Let The Good Times Roll(Dr. John)."

Episodes 90 and 91, the final two episodes from the abbreviated 1991-92 season is a two-parter taking recorded at the fictional "Dream Delicatessen". The restaurant "ambiance" was created in post editing, by dubbing in a looped recording of restaurant sounds from a sound effects LP in the TRSE archives. "Improvised" some microphone feedback during the music numbers, for "authenticity" sake. I rarely got James' alter-ego's name right in these episodes, calling him "The Bug Man", "The Soul Man", etc. instead of "The Bad Man". Apparently, I had something for actress Dinah Manoff at the time, because I kept bringing her name up. Thirty years later, certain remarks about the female singers in episode 91 wouldn't "fly" in todays "politically correct" environment (not really sure they would have even "flown" at the time). Luckily, the only actual "broadcasts" these shows had were being played at certain times in the house, not actually on radio anywhere!

Episode 92 was the first episode of the "Song Mirage" produced a couple years after my divorce, and had I decided to try bringing back Tape and Record Show Enterprises for new recordings. This time period was the shortest "comeback" the "company" had. I mentioned in the episode, if eight more shows were produced, the "Song Mirage" would reach its 100th episode. Couldn't "get the gang back together" after seven dormant years however (except James), so after a couple months or so, I finally said "F*ck it!", and abandoned the idea of a successful organization return. Guess you could say "RIP TRSE, 1979-1999".

Episode 93 was the last officially "broadcast" episode of the "Song Mirage", even though nothing was mentioned in the "broadcast" about being the final show, since it was a sudden decision to stop producing new material, much like network television show cancellations.

Episode 94 was edited to be a "broadcast", from a seven year old never before "aired" recording from 1992, with guest Paul Morrison(Paul was "unavailable" for the TRSE 1999 "revival recordings), yet, since there's no written record in the card files of a "broadcast date", it's considered an "unreleased episode". As a result, IF this episode had been "aired", IT would have been the final "Song Mirage" episode, not the previous episode... if that makes any sense to you. Slight off-topic interruption mid-episode from part of "A Prairie Home Companion" episode, since I was re-using tapes at the time, and didn't erase the tape previously used to record an actual radio show before recording the "broadcast" edited "Song Mirage" versions. In other words, the 1999 TRSE "revival" was a "mess" in more ways than one.

Three more later day episodes of "The James Stricklin Song Mirage" and another season six episode of the flagship "Tape and Record Show" from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises audio archives digitized and backed up this evening...

"James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 87. Broadcast Monday, January 20,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims. Songs include: Poor Boy Blues(Poison), Wait For You(Bohan), Stone Cold Crazy(Metallica), Dr. Feelgood(Mötley Crüe).

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 88. Broadcast Monday, January 27,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims. Episode recorded in 1989. Songs include: Tin Man(America), Blue Eyes(Elton John), Your Mama Don't Dance(Loggins and Messina), Babylon Sisters(Steely Dan).

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 89. Broadcast Monday, February 3,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims. Episode recorded in 1989. Songs include: Electric Youth(Debbie Gibson), Vahevala(Loggins and Messina), E.T.(Dickie Goodman), I'm Still Standing(Elton John), I Love Rock 'n' Roll/Medley(Joe Piscopo).

The Tape & Record Show: Episode 428, Broadcast Friday, October 26, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: One Thing Leads To Another(The Fixx). "Gilligan's Island: Two on a Raft / Home Sweet Hut" - Gilligan and the Skipper construct a raft and set out to sea to find help. Back on the island, the remaining castaways are worried about possible headhunters. The castaways fight over their living arrangements as a violent storm approaches the island. / Man's Best Friend-Loopzilla(George Clinton)."

James mentions the "theme" of episode 87 is an "all metal" show. He hosts with himself, me, and "The Bad Man". A couple songs are slightly sped up, the TRSE version of "time compression" back in the day, to fit everything into the half hour. The songs are "normal speed" in the original "master tape". They are only "compressed" in these "broadcast copies". Another weird "coincidence" about tonights digitizations, "Leave It To Beaver" is briefly mentioned in this episode, and Tony Dow passed earlier today. Every time I have a coincidence like this, I feel like I should buy some lottery tickets.

Not sure where I got ten seasons of "The Tape and Record Show" in my discussion at the opening of episode 88 of the "Song Mirage". We only "technically" had nine seasons, the last two, spaced years apart, weren't even "full" seasons, and mostly "repeats" instead of new episodes. Arsenio Hall is mentioned in the episode. Enough years have passed since this recording, Arsenio's show came on the air, left the air, came back again, and left again. James brings up the age old question, "What ever happened to Kiki Dee?".

Episode 89 has an unusual "cold open", James calling on the phone to talk to "Lynn", but finds out from whoever it was who answered the phone, that Lynn was at the "shop" cooking peanut/pecan brittle, and would be away at least five hours. Since we were attempting to get James' "at the time of recording" girlfriend on tape without her knowledge, he suggests we need to keep Jerry Sanders from hearing the episode and talking to Lynn, because James says Jerry is a "blabbermouth". We also talk about how, about a decade earlier in a recording, Randy Haney referred to Jerry as a "big fat blob", but since then, the roles had reversed, Jerry losing weight, and Randy gaining considerable weight. All the "dissing" was done in good fun though.

I had completely forgotten, after listening to episodes 88 and 89, that after the closing "American Public Radio Network" bumper at the close of some episodes at the time, I edited in Jerry Sanders saying, "It's newwwwww... yo mama!"

Episode 428 of "The Tape and Record Show" consisted of the audio from the first two episodes of "Gilligan's Island", recorded from well worn syndicated 16mm film prints broadcast on the local CBS affiliate KNOE 8, edited into a single hour episode.

Two more later episodes of "The James Stricklin Song Mirage" from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises audio cassette archives digitized tonight, after I listened to a six hour live "Stu's Show" podcast...

"James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 85. Broadcast Monday, December 30,1991 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims, Paul Morrison. Songs include: America the Beautiful(Whitney Houston), Blue Monday(Fats Domino), Gimme All Your Lovin'(ZZ Top), Blowing Kisses In The Wind(Paula Abdul).

James Stricklin Song Mirage: Episode 86. Broadcast Monday, January 13,1992 at 9:00pm central. Theme Music: Turn Up The Radio(Autograph). Hosts: James Stricklin, Albert Sims, Paul Morrison. Songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd include: Gimmie Three Steps, Ballad of Curtis Lowe, I Know A Little, What's Your Name."

The two episodes digitized tonight are from the brief TRSE "return" in 1991/92. If you get James, Paul, and I in the same room, all heck is bound to break loose, and it DOES. James says near the beginning of episode 85 he hopes to bring the "Song Mirage" back to higher standards, but Paul and I pretty much inform him that time has past. Apparently from references in the episode, it was also videotaped (I did have a camcorder at the time), but I'm not sure video still exists. If it does, it'd be a bitch to convert to digital with my current audio setup. Audio was always my primary concern at the time. Paul mentions it's one of the few times he's appeared on video without wearing a hat. James mentions Chef Hans before the ZZ Top tune, and Paul and I go into a routine spun off James' statement, me referencing a Monty Python sketch. At the end of the episode, the new weekly TRSE "broadcast" schedule is mentioned, and Paul goes into a rant having to follow "The Independent Sampler" on Wednesdays, calling it an "archaic piece of shit", since the actual local radio show Dennis Goodwin hosted had been off the air years earlier, but I had numerous, already edited half hours "in the can".

Episode 86 was another "themed" episode, featuring all Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. There were a few "giggles" by me while listening to this episode during the transfer, but the previous episode, I actually laughed out loud at parts. However, as with most recordings TRSE did back then, you had to BE there to "get it". Paul name drops Harper Gaushell at the end of this episode, who was a university professor he and I attended audiophile audio meetings at his residence monthly around that time.

Digitized two more "flagship" episodes of "The Tape and Record Show" from season six tonight...

"The Tape & Record Show: Episode 426, Broadcast Friday, October 12, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: Runaway(Bill Conti). "TRS Album Hour #3, Daryl Hall and John Oates: H20" - Side One: Maneater, Crime Pays, Art of Heartbreak, One On One, Open All Night. / Gambling Man Blues(Jimmie Rodgers) / Soundtrack to the Michael Jackson video film "Thriller". / "TRS Album Hour #3, Daryl Hall and John Oates: H20" - Side Two: Family Man, Italian Girls, Guessing Games, Delayed Reaction, At Tention, Go Solo.

The Tape & Record Show: Episode 427, Broadcast Friday, October 19, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: One Thing Leads To Another(The Fixx). "Not Necessarily The News" - Skits revolve around the death of Brezhnev, the Superbowl, fancy restaurants, Distress Center For The Children of Famous Parents, bank robberies, airline flights, movie review shows, news bulletins, the unemployment problem. / "Not Necessarily The News" - Skits revolve around burglaries, a game show featuring John Paul II and Lech Wałęsa, airline flights, Secretary of Transportation Drew Lewis, Dioxin Dolly, people who make commercials, the late news, and a youngster income tax."

During my announcement at the beginning of episode 426, I briefly slipped up and called the album "Daryl Hall and John Oates Maneater", instead of "H2O".

Episode 427 was a "double feature" of the audio from two episodes of the HBO series "Not Necessarily The News", which was the American version of the British news parody series "Not The Nine O'Clock News". As with the TRS "airings" of the audio from "The Benny Hill Show", only SOME of the humor translates, since there was a lot of visual humor in the series.

As you can see, I was using "quality" blank cassettes at the time! (/sarcasm)

Two more compiled "broadcast" audio cassettes digitized this evening from the Tape and Record Show Enterprises archives, from season six of the flagship "Tape and Record Show" and a "special episode" of "TRS Jukebox"...

"The Tape & Record Show: Episode 424, Broadcast Friday, September 21, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: Runaway(Bill Conti). "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" - Skits include: Office Workers, Quickies, Healings, News, The Most Asked Question Of The Week. / "Movie: It's A Joke, Son" - Kenny Delmar stars as Beauregard C. Claghorn in this 1943 motion picture about a southern gent running for public office and having to battle corrupt crooks in the process.

The Tape & Record Show: Episode 425, Broadcast Friday, October 5, 1984 at 10:00pm central. Theme Music: Runaway(Bill Conti). "Three's Company: Like Father, Like Son" - Jack's father makes a surprise visit and starts interfering in Jack's life. Jack Sr has lost his salesman job and tries to keep it from Jack. When Jack finds out, he gets his father something to do. / Moon Rocks(The Talking Heads) / "Not Necessarily The News" - Skits include: Battles In The Falkland Islands, spoof of Cable News Network, D.T. The Shaky Terrestrial, sporting events, a look at the Yellow Pages, and a look at the dreary programming of cable television.

TRS Jukebox: Rejects 1. Broadcast Thursday, August 4, 1983 at 7:30pm central. Theme Music: HBO Video Jukebox Theme. - A special edition which takes a look at the songs edited from the "TRS Jukebox" shows from last season. Songs include: Angel In Blue(J. Geils Band), Nobody But Me(George Thorogood and the Destroyers), Hooray For The City(Jack Mack and Heart Attack), I Need You(Paul Carrack), I Get Excited(Rick Springfield), Atlantic City(Bruce Springsteen), Out With My Ex(Robert Kraft), This One's From The Heart(Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle), Rock the Casbah(The Clash), Rosanna(Toto)."

Episode 424 was a "edit fest". First, the "Laugh-In" episode was one of the 1980's edited half-hour syndicated versions. Next, the movie audio from the 1947 comedy "It's A Joke, Son" was trimmed considerably from even its original short 63 minute running time (the "1943" year written on the original Sept. 21, 1984 TRSE broadcast card was incorrect). The film was a flop when released, probably because the Senator Claghorn character worked better on radio (as part of Fred Allen's radio show) than it did on film. However, on film, the cartoon character based on Claghorn had some later success, namely "Foghorn Leghorn".

Episode 425 included a "Terri Alden" era episode of "Three's Company", and an episode of the early HBO news satire series "Not Necessarily The News", which was based on the British news satire series "Not The Nine O'Clock News". The HBO series hasn't been aired in decades, not even on the HBO Max streaming service. It's probably some kind of "rights issue" preventing the re-airings. I think the American version was independently produced, and not an actual HBO production. However, in the internet age, I've found a few episodes on YouTube and other video streaming sites, just no "official" streams.

The "special" half-hour of "TRS Jukebox" was compiled from songs I omitted from the HBO "Video Jukebox" audio recordings I used as the basis for the series originally, because I thought the songs would never be "hits". As you can probably tell from the song list, I couldn't tell what would actually be a "hit song" if it hit me upside the face! :-P

Fun Facts: HBO's "Video Jukebox" is mentioned in the "Not Necessarily The News" episode in "Tape and Record Show" 425, and "Hooray For The City" from the "TRS Jukebox Rejects" episode was later used as the theme music to "Not Necessarily The News".