“Garden of Earthly Delights” #2

Diego Basaldu | Posted on September 03, 2019

Cover photography: Yasushi Handa & Yoshi Ueda; Cover Design and Layout: David SylvianThe single “Bamboo Houses” is a collaboration between David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto

Where Do I Draw the Line?

“The Garden of Earthly Delights” #2

I am constantly listening to new artists (as in artists I have yet to listen to) to incorporate into my show. A majority (I’d say 95%) are artists that belong under the genre of alternative (both contemporary and classic), but how can I decide whether I can play that artist on Dieg’s Wave? Obviously, I’m not going to play any Arcade Fire, Interpol, LCD Soundsystem, or The National. But what about artists that got their start in the early and mid-90s? Artists like Jeff Buckley, Portishead, Elliott Smith, and Björk. What about artists that formed in the 80s, but never released material until the 90s, such as Phish, Radiohead, Pavement, and Jawbreaker? How about playing newer material by classic alternative artists? I’m talking Depeche Mode, O.M.D., New Order, and Alison Moyet. Can I play from albums considered classics, like OK Computer, Vespertine, and Give Up? Everything mentioned and more is what I had to consider for me to answer the question: Where do I draw the line?

I decided to keep what I am allowing myself to play between 1970 and 1995 (I could have chosen 1969, but then I’d abuse that by playing Trout Mask Replica whenever I wanted. So, I saved your ears). I feel the years listed will keep a good balance within the range of artists I can play on Dieg’s Wave. With this new limit imposed, I will not stray from it, unless I announce a theme day. I can play whatever I want on a theme day because this is still MY wave you’re riding. Themes can be different: a show dedicated to bass lines I love, a list of my top (insert number) songs, a show dedicated to one artist, or even a contemporary alternative show. I can play contemporary (beyond 1995) alternative music, including material released by classic alternative artists. Most importantly, I can play The Postal Service on a contemporary alternative themed show (YES!). But I will not abuse theme days, so don’t expect a contemporary alternative themed show every month.

The 1970-1995 limit will give me the opportunity to play artists I feel should be celebrated on my show. You can look forward to hearing Fugazi, Beat Happening, Soda Stereo, Sonic Youth, Patti Smith, The Raincoats, Y.M.O., and The Sugar Cubes. Expect songs from albums like Chocolate and Cheese, Debut, The Bends, Grace, The Holy Bible, Loveless, Let It Be, Pink Flag, and Let Love In. The solo material of Peter Murphy, Alison Moyet, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Lou Reed, and David Sylvian. I am looking forward to playing all of what was mentioned, and more on Dieg’s Wave.

Next month I will start my album reviews for Nigel. In honor of it being October and Halloween, you can expect the album to be dark and heavy in sound. It’ll be an album I’ll explore while “chewing on glass and eating my fingers” (HINT HINT).

P.S. If you saw Let It Be and thought, “Oh! The Beatles!” …then I am disappointed in you.