Tag Archives: songs

THIS IS BIG GREEN: August 2019

Big Green hails the closing days of Summer with a brand spanking new episode of Ned Trek, some tracks from their studio albums, and some troll-like jabbering that amounts to naught. Get your green right here!

This is Big Green – August 2019. Features: 1) Ned Trek 40: Day of the Dopes; 2) Put the phone down: Swimming in lush pools; 3) Fledgling updates; 4) Swapping voices; 5) Peddling conspiracy theories; 6) Turtle eggs that look like the moon; 7) The story of Monte Markham; 8) The show so far; 9) Zappa talk; 10) The racist cartoons of our youth; 11) Song: Pagan Christmas, by Big Green; 12) Song: For Your Majesty’s Amusement, by Big Green; 13) Song: The Bishop, by Big Green; 14) Song: Aw Shoot, by Big Green; 15) Song: Box of Crackers, by Big Green; 16) Buying Greenland; 17) The dairy area; 18) Time to go.

Water under the bridge.

Where’s the list? Damned if I know. It’s somewhere in the forge room, I think, under a mountain of iron filings. Well, you TOLD me to file it! Jesus.

Yeah, looks like I blew it again. So what’s new? We were compiling a list of Big Green songs we’ve written and at least cursorily recorded since our last CD release – Cowboy Scat: Songs in the Key of Rick – some six years ago. Lot of water gone under the bridge since then, and a lot of music along with it. It’s almost like there was a little boat all loaded down with songs, and the water carried it under the bridge. Along with, well, a lot more water. Or something like that.

Of course, this is a list of all of the songs we’ve written and recorded for the Ned Trek portion of our THIS IS BIG GREEN podcast. There are about 70 or 80 of them, all tolled. So if we decide to release another album, it will either (a) have 70 or 80 songs on it, or (b) be the product of a sane mind. Or maybe it’s two or even three albums. After all, it’s been six years, and before that it had been another five years, and before that, like, nine years. Yeah, we’re slow …. slower than most bands. But hey … most bands don’t have a personal robot assistant (Marvin) or a mad science advisor (Mitch Macaphee). If they did, well, recording albums would take a hell of a lot longer.

Right, but ... which one?

Now that I think of it, we almost never mark the anniversary of CD releases. Last year was the 10 year anniversary of International House, our second album, and no celebration, no party streamers, no commemorative live performances, no fireworks, no flagrant branding exercises hoping to chew the last dollars off of its rotting carcass. We’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of our first album, 2000 Years to Christmas, and my guess is that we will do TWICE as much celebrating as we did for International House. At least that. Hell, I still have signed CDs from the tenth anniversary of 2000 Years to Christmas. Want one? Post a comment to this post or email us and we’ll see what we can do.

Till then, I had better get started on that pile of filings. Or that file of pilings.

Inside February (2019)

Heard any good podcasts lately? Nah, neither have I. Well, aside from the ones I typically listen to, but those tend not to have anything to do with music. I sometimes download podcasts about fixing robots and doing odd jobs, like bending pretzels. (Real odd jobs.) But never music.

Well, in spite of that simple fact, we of Big Green do put out a podcast about music … or, at least, one that contains music, and typically new music in every episode. This month’s is no exception. That sucker is larded down with so much music it will make your teeth wobble and your big toe shoot up inside your moccasin. Eight flipping new songs, my friends, never before heard by the likes of you. And a new Ned Trek to boot. (Boot it right out into the yard.)

Here’s a look at our first-of-the-year podcast:

Ned Trek 39: Patterns of Horse. Yeah, I made that name up on the fly, because this episode of Ned Trek is based on the classic Star Trek episode entitled “Patterns of Force”, aka, the one with the Nazis. It’s basically that plot turned inside-out: the “fuhrer” in this case is Bernie Sanders, who turns a whole planet into a social-democratic paradise that attempts to satisfy every human need and realize every human potential. Naturally, the Free Enterprise crew set themselves to destroying this empire of kindness merely by strolling through it. Hijinx, as always, ensue.

I'll tell anyone who will listen.Song: Find Yourself a Nazi. Matt puts on his best Captain Beefheart voice for this Doc Coburn song that puts a Nazi spin on domestic bliss. Mean, but not craven.

Song: Oh, V-2. Perle, as always, singing for his supper … a supper that consists of massive arms procurement contracts he can move in service to some despotic dictator. His usual subject matter.

Song: Now More Than Ever. The android Nixon goes all disco on us, funking it up for the masses, doing a champion little dance, then mopping up the spotlight like spilled milk.

Song: Nazi Lunch. Rocking song by Doc about … well, you’ll have to ask Doc. Just don’t stand between him and his Kentucky Bourbon.

Song: The Nicest Nazi. Ned’s song about all the great stuff Bernie’s doing as the planet’s uber-friendly Fuehrer. (I’m not talking taxi here.)

Song: Can’t Do It Without Nazis. Willard sings about his return to public office and the goosestepping little voters who helped him replace the Hatch. Quasi classical melody, strangely enough.

Song: Can’t Go Wrong (Motherfucker). A song about Brett Kavanaugh specifically and white privilege more generally, sung by Sulu.

Song: Soldier of Fourchan. Our ode to the Proud Boys, chronicling their recent battles with fierce foes … like cardboard signs and such.

Put The Phone Down. Matt and I talk about Peter Tork’s passing, look back at various moments in our television-soaked youth, sing some ridiculous impromptu songs, and well … nearly pass out from fatigue. I grow fatigued, captain.

Anyway, enjoy this mess.