9/18/09 – Happy Birthday B. B. King!

B. B. King

Happy 84th Birthday!

B.B. King just celebrated his 84th birthday on Wednesday, September 16th and this week I’m honoring “The King Of The Blues” with a full podcast featuring his music.  I’m focusing on his entire career to demonstrate the various “periods” that B. B. has been through musically.  From his strong beginnings right out of the gate on RPM Records in the early 1950s to his incredible live performance at Chicago’s Regal Theater.  His huge pop crossover breakthrough in 1970 to his duets with U2 and Eric Clapton.  I will also feature his most recent work, “One Kind Favor”, which came out in 2008.

This week’s Cat Fight is between the birthday boy and Howard Tate.  Listen to both versions of “Ain’t Nobody Home” before you voice your choice and vote for your favorite.

Here’s to the legendary B. B. King rolling on strong for many more years to come!

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9/11/09 – Summer Obit Tributes (Those Oldies But Goodies)

…Remind Me Of You

Summer

Obit

Tribute Show

This week, The Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast focuses on those who left us during the past couple of months.  I’ve prepared little 2 song tributes to Billy Lee Riley, Johnny Carter, Sam Butera, Koko Taylor, Ellie Greenwich and Les Paul.  You can read my written obits for all these great artist by clicking on my “Prowlin’ With Matt The Cat” Blog.

Since we’re saying goodbye to some “oldies but goodies”, I decided to feature the classic tune from 1961 as this week’s Cat Fight.  Please decide whether you’re in the West Coast camp with Little Caesar & The Romans or the East Coast brigade with Nino & The Ebb Tides and then vote below.

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9/4/2009 – Work Songs For Labor Day (See You In September)

…see you when the summer’s through

Work Songs

Well, it’s Labor Day Weekend again and with summer at an end and work about to pick up, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of some of the jobs out there that might be harder and more uncomfortable than yours (that is if you are currently working).  The feature this week is on “Work Songs” and man we’ve got ’em.  We’ll go from working in a coal mine and working on a chain gang to just trying to find a job and just getting by.  We’ll hear from The Isley Brothers, Nina Simone, Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris and many more.  Lee Dorsey even gets 2 songs in this week’s show!

Since September is here, I thought we’d vote on your favorite version of “See You In September”.  Listen to the songs on the podcast and vote for the one you truly dig the most.

And…um…don’t work too hard, baby!

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8/28/09 – Back To School (Hanky Panky)

Summer’s Gone…

Back To School Songs

Well, summer’s gone and no songbirds are singing…time to get BACK TO SCHOOL!  This week all the songs featured in the podcast relate to either going back to school or STAYING in school, because baby you know it’s cool to stay in school!

You’ll hear some classic tunes from Timmie “Oh Yeah” Rogers, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, James Brown and a lot more.

School just wouldn’t be school without a little “Hanky Panky” and so this week’s Friday Night Cat Fight will put The Raindrops original version of the song up against Tommy James & The Shondells chart-topper.  Also this week, we honor the passing of songwriter Ellie Greenwich and doo wop tenor man Johnny Carter.

So listen, vote and STAY IN SCHOOL!

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8/21/09 – Cadillac Songs (Brand New Cadillac)

Women Want Cadillacs, They Don’t Want No Man…

Cadillac Songs

This week, I’m adding luxury, class and style to the typical car-themed show by dedicated the entire program to songs about Cadillacs.  No other car in American Popular Culture has been more sought after and no other car let’s everyone else around you know that you’ve made it to the “big time”.  You left town in your daddy’s old Ford, but you return in a brand new Cadillac.

You’re gonna hear songs from Bo Diddley, The Ravens, Larry Dowd, Bruce Springsteen and Dizzy Gillespie just to show the variety of styles features on this week’s podcast.

Then, vote for your favorite version of the classic, “Brand New Cadillac” as The Clash take on Vince Taylor.

So get into your Caddy and go…on with the show!

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8/14/09 – Drag Racing (Hot Rod Lincoln)

Draggin’ The Strip…

Drag Racing Songs

Rev up those engines and prepare to burn some rubber as we dedicate an entire Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast to songs about drag racin’.  I’ve left out some of the ol’ standbys since you can still hear those all over the radio in favor of some of the lesser heard draggin’ tunes.  Of course Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys will make an appearance, but we’ll also hear from Wally George, Leon Smith and The Hubcaps as well.

You’ll get a chance to vote for your favorite version of the ultimate drag racing song, “Hot Rod Lincoln”.  So fire up those hopped up motors and get ready to burn your ears for that quarter mile on The Friday Night Cat Fight Show.

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7/24 – 8/7/09 – Lloyd Price: The Matt The Cat Interview!

Mr. Personality

Lloyd Price

The Matt The Cat Interview

In his new book, Lloyd Price makes a convincing claim to be “The TRUE King Of The ’50s”.  After all, he was the cat who helped integrate the races when both black and white kids were dancing to and buying his 1952 smash, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”.  He was the first teenager to sell over a million copies of a record.  He was barely in his 20s when he started his own record label.  He was one of the first artists to get a lucrative deal from a record label and he dominated the pop and R&B charts at the end of the decade with “Stagger Lee”, “Personality” and “I’m Gonna Get Married”.  And now for the first time, Lloyd Price tells his OWN story in his OWN words to me, Matt The Cat.

This is the uncut, unadulterated, unabridged Lloyd Price interview, complete with his insight, his stories and his music.  Lloyd talks about his entire career, from helping to invent rock n’ roll with “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” to staging one of the biggest sporting events in history with “The Rumble In The Jungle”.  It’s all here for you to enjoy.

At the end of the program, we’ll have a traditional Friday Night Cat Fight and a chance for YOU to VOTE for the TRUE KING of the ’50s!

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Click above to learn more about Lloyd Price & his new book.

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7/17/09 – Songs About Letters

Write Me A Letter…

Songs About Letters

The Friday Night Cat Fight honors the summertime tradition of letter writing.  Yes, before email, paging, texting and tweets, the only way to tell someone the feelings deep in your heart was to hand write them a letter.  Even today, there is no more genuine way to communicate than letter writing.

This week’s crop of themed tunes focuses on the joys and heartbreaks around the receiving and sending of letters.  Ruth Brown, Little Willie John, Buddy Holly and many more are featured on this week’s show.

Plus, vote for your favorite version of “Write Me A Letter”.  The songs are different and so are the “feels” of each recording.

So here’s hoping that the mailman brings you no more blues.

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7/10/09 – Marvin Phillips – R&B Profile

Marvin Phillips

Rhythm & Blues Profile

The Friday Night Cat Fight features its FIRST EVER profile of an artist and I can’t think of someone more deserving of this inaugural honor than the much under-appreciated MARVIN PHILLIPS.

He began his career with Richard Lewis & The Barons.  He then sang for a time in Big Jay McNeely’s vocal group, Three Dots And A Dash before hooking up with friend Jesse Belvin as Jesse & Marvin.  They were the first successful vocal duo in rhythm & blues and their #2 R&B hit, “Dream Girl” remains a classic.  This program features Marvin Phillips’ time with Marvin & Johnny as well as his work as a solo artist. This show is for anyone who enjoyed my old “Harlem” show on XM Satellite Radio.  I am very proud to shine a light on the very underrated talents of Marvin Phillips.

I hope you enjoy this labor of love and will vote for your favorite version of “Cherry Pie” below.

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7/3/09 – Surf Music: The Instrumentals

Let’s Go Trippin’…

SURF MUSIC

THE INSTRUMENTALS

“Surf’s Up” as I present the 2nd part to my 2 part series on SURF MUSIC.  This is one you’ve been waiting for; an entire show on SURF INSTRUMENTALS.  This show features some off-the-wall choices as well as the usual suspects.

Below, there is a list of 9 surf instrumentals.  Choose and VOTE for your favorite surf instrumental of all-time.  If your favorite isn’t on the list, please choose “OTHER” and list your favorite in the “comments” section on this page.

Enjoy these boss, bitchin’ tunes!

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HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

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