December 24 , 2005 (#35)- The Echoes of War Show

Osama Dreams
Pejk Malinovski- Independent Producer

Ever since 9/11,  the United States government has been searching for osama bin laden, the elusive leader of Al Qaeda. Though he's popped up on video tapes every once in a while, no one knows exactly where he is. But, as it turns out, unbeknownst to many, there have been sightings here in America...at night....in people's dreams. (The Next Big Thing, 2004)

Unquiet Graves
Marjorie Van Halteren- Producer, Entre Duex Amies
Helen Engelhardt- Producer, Entre Duex Amies

When producer Marjorie Van Halteren left the US for France in 1992, she was looking for a little peace and quiet.  Which she found. But underneath the peace and quiet she unexpectedly found something much more disquieting in the media reports from "Over There" and the growing understanding of the ground beneath her own feet.

Uncle Ed
Jon Watanabe - Independent Producer

When Ed Kiyohara returned from World War II with a purple heart, he had been fighting with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team,  the most decorated military combat unit in history.  The hero's welcome he
received was in stark contrast to the way the war began for him in a US internment camp.  He told his nephew, radio producer Jon Watanabe, a story of one of his early adventures coping with being considered the enemy before he became a soldier. (The KPFA Morning Show, 2005)

Ease on Down
Michael Kraskin - Producer, Catalogue of Ships
David Terry - Writer, Catalogue of Ships

While traveling in Greece, David Terry meets an Afghan refugee who fled the Taliban when he was 15. When David was 15, he was in his high school Show Choir. "What is that?" the refugee asks. David shows him. (Catalogue of Ships, 2005)

Featured Music

Steve Reich and Musicians, “ Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ,” Variations (Deutsche Grammophon, 2002)
Keith Fullerton Whitman, “ Stereo Music For Acoustic Guitar, Buchla Music Box 100, Hewlett Packard Model 236 Oscillator, Electric Guitar And Computer (Part One),” Multiples (Kranky, 2005)
Lemon Jelly, “Closer,” Lost Horizons (Xl/Beggars Us Ada , 2002)
Eluvium, “ I Am So Much More Me That You Are Perfectly You,” Lambent Material (Temporary Residence, 2003)
The Books, "An Animated Description of Mr. Maps." Lost and Safe (Tomlab, 2005)

Extras

Check out all the episodes of Michael Kraskin and David Terry's very cool podcast "Catalogue of Ships."

December 17 , 2005 (#34)- The Bollywood Show

Dream Factory Worker
Simon Morton- Producer

India churns out over 800 films a year, around half of them from the Hindi film factory of Bombay (Mumbai), universally known as "Bollywood." The films are renowned for their over the top, colorful escapism filled with musical interludes involving hundreds of extras. Radio New Zealand producer Simon Morton travels to Mumbai and embarks on a personal mission to achieve celluloid eternity as one of those extras.

Featured Music

Shawn Lee , “Bollywood,” Music and Rhythm (Ubiquity Recording, 2004)
Don Shiva, "Dake Dake," Bollywood Lounge (Blue Flame, 2003)

December 10 , 2005 (#32)- The Transmissions Show
Originally broadcast September 25, 2005

Listening at the Border
Jay Needham- Producer

The airwaves are a tangle of transmissions: some people are cryptically saying something and others are desperately trying to decrypt it: our government agencies, other goverment agencies, spies, and who knows who else. Listening at the Border introduces us to someone -- of course he remains nameless -- who, for years, spent everyday, all day, trying to decipher scratchy transmitions from North Korea for the US government.

Atencion: Seis Siete Tres Siete Cero: The Shortwave Numbers Mystery
David Goren- Producer

If you tune into the the shortwave signals hidden in between the AM and FM band on frequencies from 3 to 30 Mhz, you can hear voices reciting endless streams of numbers, in numerous languages, all day, every day for decades on end. These "number stations", as they're called by ham radio operators and military communications experts, contain no information about where they are transmitting from or who they are trying to reach. Some of these mysterious transmissions have even been affectionately nicknamed, The Babbler, The sexy Lady, Bulgarian Betty and just plain Cynthia. (Lost & Found Sound, 2000)

Max Neuhaus
Roman Mars- Re:sound Producer

Basically, radio is a one-way medium.  We talk, you listen. Sure, there are call-in shows that are meant to sound live but more often than not, they are highly edited and pre-produced  -- listeners hate to hear it but it’s true. But there have been brief moments in the history of the medium where the airwaves really were a free-for all and completely new forms of sound were born.  Max Neuhaus makes sound works that are neither music nor events. He coined the term “sound installation” and has been the engine behind all sorts of new ways of thinking and experiencing sound.

Pirate Station
Emily Botein- Producer
Sherre DeLys- Producer
John Lurie- Narrator
Rick Moody- Author, Producer

Aside from the liscensed radio stations, the citizens band, and shortwave operators, there are those who believe that the airwaves are public space and belong to everyone. They’re often called ‘pirates’ and they want a little piece of airspace --whether the FCC wants to give it to them or not. This is an ode to a mythical pirate station. (PRI's The Next Big Thing, 2005)

Featured Music

Odd Nosdam, “Untitled #2,” No More Wig for Ohio (Anticon, 2003)
Miwon, “When Angels Travel,” Pale Glitter (City Centre Offices, 2005)
Odd Nosdam, “Untitled #3,” No More Wig for Ohio (Anticon, 2003)
Miwon, “No Needs for Sanity [Miwon Version],” Pale Glitter (City Centre Offices, 2005)
Odd Nosdam, “Clouded,” Burner (Anticon, 2005)
Minotaur Shock, “Twosley,” Maritime (4AD/Ada, 2005)
Odd Nosdam, “11th Avenue Freakout,” Burner (Anticon, 2005)
Wall of Voodoo, “Mexican Radio,” Call of the West (IRS, 1982)

Extras

Max Nauhaus' Auracle: A networked sound instrument. Become a player with just your voice.

Learn more about Max Nauhaus' pioneering work in sound.

December 3 , 2005 (#33)- The Hollywood Show

Sundance Rollercoaster
Matt Holzman- Producer, The Business

Director Richard Shepard had been dwelling in cinema obscurity for years before he got his break- a relatively big budget and a chance to direct big stars in a film he wrote called “The Matador.” When he took his film to Sundance in 2005, his entire future was flashing before his eyes- on the big screen. ( The Business, 2005)

Interview with Matt Holzman

The producer and editor of The Business talks to Gwen Macsai about the trials and tribulations of putting out a show devoted to exploring the business of a notoriously tight-lipped industry.

Down and Out (and Up and Down) in Hollywood
Amanda Aronczyk- Producer

Every day, despite the crazy odds, people keep trying to sell their stories to Hollywood. Among them, two young comedians - Ahna Tessler and Lauren Engel. During the day they had babysitting jobs and at night they did stand up in New York clubs. Neither of them had healthcare for years, and they were basically just getting by, and so really they had nothing to lose. Why not just take their film idea to LA, how hard could that be? (The Next Big Thing, 2003)

Film Noir
Sara Fishko- Producer, The Fishko Files

WNYC culture and arts reporter-at-large Sara Fishko explores the images and sounds of the accidental genre known as Film Noir. (The Fishko Files, 2004)

Featured Music

The Postal Service, “Such Great Heights,” Give Up (Sub Pop, 2003)
Jon Brion, “Strange Bath,” I Heart Huckabees Soundtrack (Milan Records, 2004)
Amon Tobin, “Stoney Street,” Bricolage (Ninja Tune, 1997)
Amon Tobin, “Defocus,” Bricolage (Ninja Tune, 1997)
The Postal Service, “National Anthem,” Give Up (Sub Pop, 2003)
The Postal Service, “Clark Gable,” Give Up (Sub Pop, 2003)

Extras

Read more about Gwen Macsai's journey from obscurity to NPR, to Hollywood and then back to obscurity.