Lord Litter’s Radio On Show is a puzzling portrait of the Berlin subculture era. Present day voices state that there is no subculture. But those are present day voices. Lord Litter raised from the ashes of post war Berlin and went through the grim cold war era, only to emerge in a brave new town. Subculture then was a territory occupied by the untouchables, a caste that was of no interest to the prophets of consumerism. Subculture disappeared because every sociocultural expression became marketable.

Why this program? LL listened to Radio On and he thought:”Radio On explores the expression of sound. Whatever you can do with sound you’ll find here. If you are in for some real experience … try this station, you might find another section of your mind.”

And then he asked if he could submit a show and maybe become one of the Radio On hosts.

I took a look at his words, and I read:”To me today’s *underground* is defined by a free unique mind using all new freedom to produce and distribute while keeping a personal/human aspect.”

And I read his history and see him surf on different waves.

All this and more made me think that I was simply not in a position to even judge him or his works. He wanted to come in? Well hell yes, welcome. What is it you’d like to offer?

This

Cafe Unterzucker – Die Gluckseligkeit – CD – Bitte, Mammi, Hol mich ab!

It is the first track of his show. I listen and after thirty seconds I think, ‘O my God, Did he really listen to our shows.’ And after one minute I think, ‘where is the fast forward button.’ And I continue thinking how I could shreddit this song to pieces until only 3 seconds would remain and how not funny it is. But I keep on listening and I hear this.

Oansno – Musikanten Techno – CD – Schmankerl

And the only thing I feel is repulsion. I don’t like imitation balkan tuba humpa. I simply cannot stand it. But I keep on listening even if this diluted version of music for weddings and funerals makes the clock tick slower and slower and slower. I want to find out why LL wanted to join Radio On. I listen to the next track and the next track, and suddenly I find myself floating from one island in time to another one.

Island…

The next day it dawned upon me. I lived in Berlin. When I lived in Berlin I was one of the many passengers, those who come and go but will never stay. It causes an awkward movement in time. Whenever you get drifted backwards, you pass the border of your arrival and enter into the unknown. LL, like other Berliners lives in an other timezone. Whenever he passes his border, he enters a timezone defined by different stories and different memories, but also by his culture.

Listening to his show was like walking the streets of Berlin again, looking at the buildings, the bars, the people and the trees and the sky above. This was the world of the stranger, the passenger; he encounters a big outside that comes to life through fantasies, only small parts of it are inhabited by his own memories. And yet, there are guides.

So, if the other Berliner, Blixa B can sing Sag mir wo die Blumen sind, like his grandmother Marlene used to do, LL can mock the same sentimental journey and come up with a dreadful pastiche of Ricky and Poveri, who also were big in Germany some time. One day, on the pavement outside the thrift store, you will find a compilation LP with colors eaten by time: felicità!

Here’s the playlist, your guide to an era when subculture still existed, to an era you’ve heard about but never experienced. This, LL’s new show for Radio On, is our Eckkneipe. Let him be your racconteur.

1. Cafe Unterzucker – Die Gluckseligkeit – CD – Bitte, Mammi, Hol mich ab! –

2. Oansno – Musikanten Techno – CD – Schmankerl

3. Svarta Stuga – drums in the light of christ
4. Svarta Stuga – unbirth
3/4 from EP 3, aspects of our future selves
Svarta Stuga – the EP trilogy –

5. Francois Couture – Road – CD – Downtown Ride –

6. Numbra – cunife – CD – Vol. 1 Alloys (by Eric Hausmann, James Hill and Don Campau)

7. hat check girl – beggar and a thief – CD – at 2 in the morning –

8. Nelson Wright – Last call for Blues – CD – Orphans and Relics –

9. The Sideshow Tragedy – The Winning Side – CD –

10. The Crawlin’ Hex – Who do you love? – CD compilation – *strange fruit and veg* – free comp if you become a Fruits De Merrecords Club member ..!

11. Paradox One – Waiting at Airports – CD – This Fragile Peace –

>>> CASSETTES …………!
12. Jealousy Party – excerpt side 2 – MC – Punca Nova –

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LordLitter

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