Category: Progressive Rock

We’ve Made It to Friday and We’re ‘Under The Influence’ for Several Hours Plus the Final Turn for Tom Rush, March 17, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve made it to Friday and I know a ton of you will be celebrating St. Patrick’s day. It’s big here in Boston, but we don’t talk much about that since they don’t allow LGBT people to march in their ugly parade. They might catch it. But here in the lounge, we’ve got something better going on.

Here’s Friday’s musical madness:

10:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

Yes, we have all been here at one time or another. Some of us with legal substances, some with illegal substances, and some of us with both. You will hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Byrds, Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Donovan, Glen Frey, John Lee Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, The Traveling Wilburys, The Temptations, Small Faces, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, Neil Young, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Harry Chapin, The Band, The Fraternity of Man and more! Five hours of mind-bending madness.

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Tom Rush FINAL AIRING!

The great Tom Rush, whose career has spanned more than sixty years, and who has launched several other singer-songwriter’s careers, takes his last turn as our featured singer-songwriter. Tomorrow, we’ll have a new selection.

Lots of good music today, and plenty of wide Open Stream before, in between, and after courtesy of The Music Mermaid. She takes care of things around here while I’m laboring in retail hell. We’re running 24/7 totally free with no commercial interruption. Get on it, people.

Under The Influence

We Keep It Simple With Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” as Our AOW, and ‘The British Are Coming’ EP Later, Sunday, February 26, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! As usual, it’s a ‘keep it simple’ Sunday with plenty of wide Open Stream and modest programming. Hell, it’s a day of rest.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

12:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Innervisions by Stevie Wonder NEW!

Innervisions was singer, songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder’s sixteenth studio album, and it is largely viewed as his transition from ‘Little’ Stevie Wonder to a more mature, socially conscious musician. It was released on August 3, 1973 on the Tamla label (a subsidiary of Motown). At the 16th Grammy Awards it won for Best Album of The Year, and Living For The City won for Best R&B Song. You can learn more about this great landmark album here.

4:00 p.m. The British Are Coming: Various Artists

This is a favorite EP as we give you music from across the pond from the British Invasion and beyond. You’ll hear The Who, The Beatles, Dave Mason, Electric Light Orchestra, Petula Clark, The Zombies, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, Queen, the Dave Clark Five, The (early) Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, Them, Herman’s Hermits, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Animals, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Spencer Davis Group, Cream, Donovan, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Queen and more!

We keep it simple on Sunday, and so should you. That means your decision to listen in should be a simple one. All you need to do is pull up a tab and click the link below!

Keep It Simple Sunday!

We Ease You Into the Work Week With Our ‘On The Map’ Playlist, The I-Threes In the Spotlight, and Some Live Blind Faith Later This Evening, Monday, January 30, 2023

Happy Monday, kids! It’s the beginning of another work week and we’ve got just what you need to get rid of those Monday blues as we give you ‘On the Map’ along with The I-Threes In the Spotlight and live Blind Faith later.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. On The Map: Various Artists

We start our programming with a playlist about places across the globe, from Boston to Timbuktu, with The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, America, Little Feat, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Doors, The Association, Scott McKenzie, Fats Domino, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Jesse Winchester, Tom Rush, James Taylor and more!

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of the I-Threes

As I’m learning, many people don’t know who the I-Threes are. They are Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths and they are the most influential female band in Reggae and Ska who provided the background voices for Bob Marley & The Wailers. They also recorded albums individually, so today, we enlighten those who have never before heard them sing. It’s a treat.

7:00 p.m. Blind Faith Live at The Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA, August 16, 1969

Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They weren’t around for very long, only for one album and one extended summer tour. We’ve got one of those performances from that tour for you today. (I’m sure that the Earl Warren Showgrounds were used for more than music, but the thought of a psychedelic rock band performing at a venue named after a Supreme Court judge makes me chuckle.)

We’re here no matter how damned tired we are because we have The Music Mermaid and she is large and in charge. We’re on 24/7 (not just when we have programming) totally free to the listening public. You don’t need a subscription. You don’t need a credit card, and we don’t even want to know your name. We just want you to listen.

Monday, Monday

The Weekend Has Officially Arrived! Today We Start It Off With Volume Two of Our Sixties Rotation, Move On To Our AOW, and Introduce Stevie Wonder as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, Saturday, January 28, 2023

Good Morning, Weekenders! We’ve got some great stuff lined up for the weekend, but let’s start with today. We kick off the programming with volume two of our Sixties Rotation, and move on to Motown from there!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

This is volume two of our sixties songfest, mostly covering the mid-to-late sixties, but we can never promise there won’t be some overlap between time periods. You’ll hear The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Blind Faith, the Spencer Davis Group, Elvis Presley, The Box Tops, The Doors, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, TheRonettes, The Kinks, The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, The Zombies, Donovan, Velvet Underground, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin and more!

5:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Going To A Go-Go by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles FINAL AIRING!

Today is the swan song for this great album. Our final airing has arrived. Tomorrow when you roll (or fall) out of bed, we’ll have a brand new selection!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Stevie Wonder NEW!

Today we intro Stevie Wonder as our featured singer-songwriter for the week. When he first started out, he was called “Little” Stevie Wonder because he was just eleven years old when he signed his first contract with Tamla Records, and just thirteen years old when his first No. 1 hit, Fingertips, was released. Wonder is widely recognized as a pioneer and major influencer in many musical styles, including rhythm & blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk and jazz. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide and has won 25 Grammy awards. You can read more about Stevie Wonder here.

As always, the majority of our 24-hour periods are devoted to our great wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. We’re totally free of charge and do not accept commercial advertising. We’re simply all about the music. Join us.

The Sixties!

Today It’s a New ‘Live’ Show by The Pretenders, Our ‘Out in The Cold’ Playlist and the Final Airing of Laura Nyro as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, Friday, January 13, 2023

Good Morning, Global Family! Forget that it’s Friday the 13th. No bad luck here in The Mermaid Lounge; just great music 24/7 every day of the week at no cost to you! We’ve got a great lineup for you today starting with The Pretenders.

Here’s your Friday the 13th lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Pretenders Live at Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany, June 23, 2009 NEW!

Chrissie Hynde is a force of nature and a real pioneer in the world of rock and it spills over into her great band. Today we have our very first ‘live’ Pretenders playlist from Germany.

3:00 p.m. Out in The Cold: Various Artists

We haven’t aired this one in a while and it’s about time. Of course, it’s not just about the cold weather. It’s about all weather. Here in the Boston area, we’re feeling the effects of global warming. It has not been cold at all. You will hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Albert King, The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, Johnny Rivers, James Taylor & Carole King, Bill Withers, Cream, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Michael Murphy, Dr. John, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Laura Nyro FINAL AIRING!

Laura Nyro left us all far too early, but she left a legacy of musical genius that cannot be denied. Many recorded her songs over the years from The Fifth Dimension to Barbra Streisand, but there is nothing like hearing Laura Nyro sing her own compositions. See for yourself tonight.

If you’re just tuning us in for the first time, then you’re in luck…good luck. We’re on 24/7 at no charge to you and with no commercial advertising to interrupt the musical juju. We’re all about the music, and that’s the way it should be.

Give a Listen!

Monday Brings You Santana In the Spotlight, Hot Tuna ‘Live’ at The Fillmore, and The All-Girl Revue, Volume Five, on January 2, 2023

Good morning Latin rock lovers and musicologists alike! Today we give Santana its due by putting Carlos Santana and his great band In the Spotlight. We also give you some ‘live’ Hot Tuna and the Women wrap up the programming later.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Santana NEW!

Guitar great Carlos Santana started his band in San Francisco back in 1966. They appeared for the first time at Woodstock in 1969. Santana has stood the test of time, but with many different lineups over the years. The one constant has been Carlos Santana. He recently reunited the original band on the road. We finally give Carlos Santana and his band the spotlight it deserves.

3:00 p.m. Hot Tuna Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, March 4, 1988

This great blues-rock band was formed in 1969 by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, former members of the Jefferson Airplane. Like Santana, they’ve had many musical lineups over the yeard, but Kaukonen and Casady have remained the band’s centerpieces. Today we have them live from The Fillmore.

7:00 p.m. The All-Girl Revue Five, Various Artists

We close out the evening’s programming with the women of music. I keep typing the ‘women of rock’ but that would be inaccurate because these female-based playlists offer such a diverse array of styles. You’ll hear Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Jackie DeShannon, Chi Coltrane, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Petula Clark, Irma Thomas, Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, Ann Peebles, Valerie Carter, Rosanne Cash, Lucinda Williams and more!

We’ve beefed up our rotation adding artists like blues artists like Ellen McIlwaine and early Christine McVie, new reggae/ska music from the I-Threes, Desmond Dekker and Rita Marley and we’ve got more waiting in the chute. We’re on 24/7 and we are totally free. No joke and no strings. We are also free of commercial advertising. You’re not risking a thing trying us out.

Just Push Play.

Today’s Music Includes ‘The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two,’ Our AOW, and a Trip Back to Woodstock ’69 (The Only Real Woodstock), Thursday, December 29, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Today we have full-on Sixties for the two big music programs we’re running. It’s Open Stream with a theme here in The Mermaid Lounge and if you’re a student of the sixties music scene, this is your gig.

Here’s your musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’re starting off the day with the second leg of our Sixties Rotation which covers the later musical years, for the most part. You’ll hear The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Blind Faith, Spencer Davis Group, Elvis Presley, The Box Tops, The Doors, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, The Beatles, The Ronettes, The Kinks, Jimmy Cliff, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Zombies, Donovan, Velvet Underground, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Carney by Leon Russell

We’re coming down to the wire here with this album. This is our next-to-last airing, with the final coming sometime on Saturday, time TBD. On Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection.

7:00 p.m. Woodstock: Three Days of Peace, Love and Music: Various Artists, August 15-18, 1969, Bethel Woods, NY

The one and only Woodstock. Woodstock ’99 turned into a disaster because it replaced the ‘love’ portion of the program with ‘rage.’ The original Woodstock was NOT replicated. This EP will take you long into the night as you listen to The Band, Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, CSNY, The Band, Joan Baez, Santana, Melanie, Country Joe & The Fish, Ten Years After, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Joe Cocker, Tim Hardin, Mountain, John B. Sebastian and more. Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock and Melanie’s Lay Down (Candles in The Rain) would tell the tale of this epic music festival.

Yeah, baby. This is definitely a tune in, turn on, drop out kind of musical day here in The Mermaid Lounge. If you’re taking a break from work between the holidays, this is your day. If you’re working and have an office, close the door, pull up a fresh browser tab, and push the button below.

Tune in, Turn on, Drop out.

At Midweek We Have Our ‘British Are Coming’ EP, A Trip Back in Time to The Monterey Pop Festival, and The McGarrigle Sisters On Tap, December 28, 2022

We’re getting close to the new year, music lovers and today we start the day with a bit of music from across the pond. Then, we move on to Monterey Pop as we celebrate festival week here. The McGarrigle sisters are our featured singer-songwriters later.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. The British Are Coming: Various Artists

We’re starting off our programming with music from across the pond, as they say. You’ll hear The Who, The Beatles, Dave Mason, Electric Light Orchestra, Petula Clark, The Zombies, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, Queen, the Dave Clark Five, The BeeGees (pre-falsetto only), The Moody Blues, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, Them, Herman’s Hermits, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd,Yes, The Animals, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, the Spencer-Davis Group, Cream, Donovan and more!

4:00 p.m. Music from The Monterey International Pop Festival: Various Artists, June 17-19, 1967

The precursor to Woodstock introduced Otis Redding to the world, and offered up some pretty big names in Janis Joplin, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, Country Joe & The Fish, Jimi Hendrix, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Association, Simon & Garfunkel, The Electric Flag, Booker T & The MG’s, Scott McKenzie and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: Kate & Anna McGarrigle

Tonight we give you the second airing of this week’s featured singer-songwriters in Kate & Anna McGarrigle, whose songs have helped put many folks on the map.

As always, a great day to tune us in. This is the beginning of our Festival Frolic. Tomorrow is Woodstock. We will move on from there. We’re totally free. We don’t charge you a penny, and we are free of commercial advertising. No strings. No lie.

Let The Festivals Begin!

It’s Friday in The Mermaid Lounge and We’ve Got ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP and Volume Two of Badass Guitarists Today, December 23, 2022

Yes, musicologists, the wind is howling here and it is absolutely pouring buckets as the Boston area remains too warm for snow. It’s a great day to stay in and put on some great music. We start it off with the music that inspired the station!

Here’s your stormy Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

Ah, the sixties. There was no time like it culturally, politically and especially musically. You’ll hear Del Shannon, Little Eva, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Mary Wells, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Johnny Rivers, The Dave Clark Five, The Supremes, Harry Nilsson, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Who, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Fats Domino, The Temptations, Procol Harum and more!

7:00 p.m. Badass Guitarists, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’ve got volume two for you today. Aside from those pictured above (l-r, Albert Lee of Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty and Bo Diddley), you’ll hear the handiwork of Lowell George and Paul Barrere (Little Feat), Brian May (Queen), Waddy Wachtel (Linda Ronstadt and a ton of session work), Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Campbell and Tom Petty (The Heartbreakers), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Neil Young, Joey Molland (Badfinger) and more!

Step out with us today. Come on. You know you want to. There’s no time like the present.Before, in between, and after we’ve got that great big wide Open Stream expressly run by The Music Mermaid. This is her kind of weather and she’ll be on form. Do it.

Badass Guitarists, Volume Two!

We Bring a Psychedelic Perspective to the Midweek and It’s Dan Fogelberg’s Second Airing as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, On Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Good morning, lovers of psychedelia! This is one of my all-time favorite playlists here. We also give the ridiculously underrated Dan Fogelberg a second airing as our featured singer-songwriter.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Yes, get on board the Psychedelic Express with us today to the innovators who managed to combine chemicals and composition. Some even lived to tell the tale. You’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, the Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, the Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Dan Fogelberg

There’s a big campaign out there on social media to get Dan Fogelberg inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Considering the fact that they’ve inducted rap artists, ignoring a guy like Dan Fogelberg seems even more ridiculous. But then again, they didn’t induct Linda Ronstadt until she could no longer sing, and it took Carole King until 2021. These are WTF moments for me. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. We love Dan Fogelberg here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we play his music for you tonight.

Midweek is here, meaning we’ll be on the downslide to the holiday weekend come Thursday. Life is good. And so is our radio station. We’re totally free 24/7 with no strings and no surprises. We play the best damned music on the planet. When we’re not running a program, The Music Mermaid is totally in charge of streaming. She spins he wheel and we see where it lands.

The Psychedelic Express!