The Dark Stuff: Playlist

Showing posts with label Playlist. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

First Video In My New Studio! // Unsane Live // NEW Playlist // Maximum MN

Thanks so much for checking out my latest video! This is the first video shot in my new "studio" on the upper floor of my house. For the last decade, all of my videos have been recorded in the basement; and I felt it was time for a change. I'll still be using the old space, but I like having options. What do you think?

Going along with my new space, I am bringing back my Dark Stuff playlists.

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/dark-stuff-the-return/pl.u-mJy8yeECLMpg7

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1DXvCcBFyfBFcpYfK2NFIv?si=YIjXrlxaRlKTXxlbL_Y2lw&utm_source=copy-link&pi=cLq6W-t7Szmr7

After brief update on my stray cats, I have a review of a recent show from 90s noise rockers, UNSANE. Also on the bill were Season To Risk and Violenteer.

If you're looking for a way to get some cool, new music and support a good cause, then check out the digital mixtape, Maximum MN. It's a new compilation featuring current Sub Pop recording artists covering music from artists from Minnesota. Money raised from the compilation will be sent to The International Institute of Minnesota, a non-profit organization that supports refugees and immigrants.

Lastly, I want to strongly recommend a new podcast I just recently discovered to anyone who is a fan of The Ramones. It is called ‪@CJSaysPodcast‬ and it features C.J. Ramone, who played bass and wrote songs in the Ramones from 1989-1997. His insights into the band are extremely interesting, and they have been doing deep dives into the records, as well. It's great.

Please like and share this video. Subscribe to The Dark Stuff if you haven't already.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

NEW Dark Stuff Playlist for September/October 2025

Apologies to those who care, but I missed the September playlist. So, that's why this playlist is merging two months together. Yes, it's October. But Halloween is lame, so this playlist will not be including "spooky" music. Look elsewhere. (click to listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/dark-stuff-september-october-2025/pl.u-76oNG7eCd7BV0)

This month, I begin with a song from Ace Frehley's first post KISS album, 1987's 'Frehley's Comet.' Ace was a musical hero to me, and his recent passing has been a tough one. R.I.P. Ace. I've been dealing with insomnia related issues for a few years, and the Go-Go-'s track " You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)" really rings true.

I follow those up with incredible songs from SASAMI and Radiohead. The next song, from Lana Del Ray, is the first song of hers that has ever connected with me. Will I become a Lana fan? To early to tell, but "How To Disappear" is incredible. Gringo Star, Buffalo Tom, Paul Weller, and Superdrag come next. Really love that BT tune...

The live recording of Hüsker Dü's "Green Eyes" (from the forthcoming Live box set) is powerful, and I followed it with Sugar's "Hoover Dam," since Bob Mould's OTHER band, Sugar, has just returned after 30 years.

A rare, early track from Deep Sea Diver comes up next. Don't skip the KISS track that follows. "Journey of 1000 Years" is unlike any other song in the KISS catalog. It's a soaring, epic song that is not about Gene Simmons' unit.

Further on down in the playlist, I threw in a cover of Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face" by Stef Chura. After some funk from Teddy Pendergrass, I thew in some NWOBHM from Avenger (This band was formerly known as Blitzkrieg) and then some US metal from Anvil.

The playlist closes with songs from Fishbone, a live recording from The Replacements, an obscure Chicago band called The New Duncan Imperials, Elvis Costello, Styx, and some late 70s Journey.

A pretty amazing two hours.

Saturday, February 08, 2025

Dark Stuff Playlist February 2025 (Apple Music and Spotify)

February is my birthday month, so my playlist took a bit longer than usual to create. I don't know how it correlates, but i thought that sounded like a reasonable rationale for the lateness of this month's playlist.

I open it up this month with a deep cut from Billy Idol's debut, and immediately jump into Belly's exquisite cover of Hendrix's "Are You Experienced?" The Breeders, Conor Oberst, Styx, The Feelies, St. Vincent, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Band of Horses, and more follow.

Listen until the end for Luna's "Fuzzy Wuzzy." You're welcome.

If you use Spotify, you can find the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2nZXQyIr5ZZNRwzz1T2082?si=a2hwHMGPRrG42hGjerkwLg&pi=bOTLi8jUT3288

Monday, December 02, 2024

Dark Stuff Playlist December 2024 (Apple and Spotify)

Spotify:

Apple:

Friday, November 08, 2024

Dark Stuff Playlist November 2024 (Apple and Spotify)

Spotify:

Tuesday, October 01, 2024

Dark Stuff Playlist October 2024 (Apple Music & Spotify)

Welcome to this month's playlist. This one is a pretty good reflection of where I've been at recently -- both musically and emotionally. Ezra Furman's "Wobbly" pretty much sums things up for me. Been having lots of anxiety about the upcoming US elections, so I've been self medicating by seeing lots of live music. I've seen some fun shows recently from Ringo Starr, Built To Spill, Faster Pussycat, A Giant Dog, and M Ward. I'm planning to see MJ Lenderman, Mdou Moctar, Superchunk, Jeff Tweedy, and Psychedelic Furs later this month.

About the music: I start off with some early Rush from their 1975 'Fly By Night' album. It is quickly followed a brand new band from NYC called SNOWMEN, and a 2020 song from Deep Sea Diver. I think that band is going to blow up in 2025. Since the early MTV days, I have always lumped Van Halen's "Intruder" and "(Oh) Pretty Woman" together (like VH did in the music video). It just fits.

Don't be thrown by the inclusion of Taylor Swift here. The song, "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me," is incredible, and very relevant to today's political and social environment. It took Evan Dando covering "Things" for me to truly appreciate the greatness of this particular Paul Westerberg song. Now, it's among my favorites of his. I chose "Raw Deal" by Judas Priest because, according to Rob Halford's memoir (which I'm currently reading), this 1977 song was his first ever "reveal" about his sexuality.

Real music nerds will appreciate my inclusion of Motorhead covering Ramones followed by C.J. Ramone (Ramones bassist 89-96) covering Dave Edmunds. Later on, after some BOC and KISS, I threw on a track from LL Cool J's latest record, The Force. In this song, producer Q-Tip samples the Gary Numan classic, "M.E." and it is so great! After some early Def Lep and Ringo, I close out with new Nada Surf, later period Led Zeppelin, and one of my personal favorite songs from both Beck and Rilo Kiley.