Radio Free Bridgeport

This was the last of my series of late-summer 2025 fill-ins for Steve DiCostanzo's Radio Base Camp shows; he would shortly return the favor in November 2025 by filling in for several of the new 7-9 AM morning shows that I was assigned to that I couldn't pull off quite yet because my right foot was healing from (successful) surgery. Thanks, Steve!

As a shortwave radio fan and historian, I was absolutely horrified by the current administration's takedown of our hisroric and essential international broadcasting stations, including the Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe. So I was glad to see that mu eternal heroes R.E.M. OK'd the use of their debut song to the world, 1981's "Radio Free Europe", in a new EP that included an excellent new remix of the mysterious, propulsive and soaring original track - the Hibtone one, which came out before the first EP, which I also played. Profits from their new "Radio Free Europe" EP are going towards keeping the actual Radio Free Europe broadcast operations alive, although (as I write this) they are still barely managing to survive.

Radio Free Europe (Jacknife Lee Remix) – R.E.M.

Radio Free Europe (Original Hibtone 45) – R.E.M.

Lament – Blake Babies

So Long – Fischer-Z

This Time – INXS

Block of Wood – The Bats

Pink Frost – The Chills

Map Ref 41 Degrees N 93 Degrees – Wire

First Day – Far Caspian

Metal – The Beths

You Didn't See – Andy Shauf

F.O.O.F. – Frankie Cosmos

Save Your Soul – Kathleen Edwards

Cryin' Inside – Nick Lowe

American Squirm – Nick Lowe

Everyday I Write the Book – Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Mayor of Simpleton – XTC

Here, There and Everywhere (Take 6) – The Beatles

Stray Cats in Spain – Jeff Tweedy

As We Go Along – The Monkees

Glad – Saint Etienne

Can I Talk My Sh*t? – Vagabon

Shooting Star – Sunflower Bean

Tomorrow Tomorrow – Brad Mehldau feat. Daniel Rossen

Porcupine – Sparks

The Summer's Over (solo acoustic) – Alec Cumming