Back in the 1980s nuclear war and nuclear energy were major topics of discussion and activism.  Even yours truly, The Rock’N’Roll Nurse, got arrested for protesting at a nuclear weapons plant!  These issues may seem like long past images in the rear view mirror, but they haven’t really disappeared.  In an effort to re-energize your thinking about nukes, Geek (Ema)Nation presents this compilation from 1982 in its entirety, featuring choice cuts by The CLASH, The JAM, The UNDERTONES, The AU PAIRS and other exciting bands of the time.  No proliferation here, fellow music geeks!

This 2-LP Compilation released in 1985 (as seen on TV! it says in the lower right corner) says it contains prime tracks by “the cream of British rock” and the money gathered from sales was supposed to go to a trust devoted to “exploring ways in which young people who felt alienated in our modern society might be encouraged to help themselves.”  Lofty goals indeed.  Some decent music too, although tracks by the likes of BILL WYMAN, JIMMY PAGE and ROBERT PLANT seem pretty bloated and gratuitous compared to the new wave sounds of KATE BUSH, MADNESS, and even (gasp!) DURAN DURAN.  Creamy Brit-Rock for you, fellow music geeks!

In the early ’80s no U.S. label was pumping out New Wave music emanating from the underground as ferociously as IRS Records.  Bands as diverse as The DAMNED, The BUZZCOCKS, The FALL, The POLICE, ALTERNATIVE TV, CHELSEA, The CRAMPS, The FLESHTONES and many others got their starts on this forward-looking label.  This episode features a solid 2xLP compilation released by IRS in 1981.  Get hip to the new sound of 30 years back, fellow music geeks!

Your host the Rock’N’Roll Nurse had jury duty and got to the show late without any preparation in place whatsoever, but by pulling some choice ’70s and ’80s LPs off the wall and a 2013 release by HENRY PLOTNICK called Fields, he got a pretty listenable show together. Hear the results here, fellow music geeks!

For those who think that Portland was only responsible for cool and interesting music in the last 10 years will be astonished by this unusual (and somewhat inscrutable) concept record, featuring some of the best indie-rock bands from the ’90s.  GUIDED BY VOICES, STEPHEN MALKMUS (of PAVEMENT), HOWE GELB (of GIANT SAND), GRANDADDY and The MINUS FIVE are just a few of the bands represented on this remarkable 2x LP set.  Get conceptual, fellow music geeks!

The Rock’N’Roll Nurse was on tour with RAKEHELL and GO PILLS since the beginning of September, and along the way he picked up some choice vinyl morsels from such disparate places as Eugene, OR and Los Angeles, CA.  Highlights from the spoils will be presented with plenty of commentary on this week’s edition of GE.  Get that collector itch, fellow music geeks!

Unbelievable but true, the recent analog resurgence has also supported an explosion of wonderful prog/experimental titles on beautiful vinyl!  Some great titles that have come my way recently (like the pictured masterpiece Fields by 12-year-old keyboard wizard HENRY PLOTNICK) will be allowed to tickle your ears on this episode of GE.  Wade into some deeply underground waters, fellow music geeks!

One of the great things about DJing at Radio Valencia is the cool records available in the station stacks.  On this episode of GE, host The Rock’N’Roll Nurse will take full advantage of the vinyl available to all DJs instead of bringing his own.  It will be a crazy and unpredictable musical roller coaster ride for all.  Get super spontaneous, fellow music geeks!

7″ vinyl records used to be the best/cheapest way to find out about new and great bands, and were also underground music’s version of the business card, especially in the 1980s.  Your pal The Rock’N’Roll Nurse collected quite a few of these original “compact discs” back in the day, and he reveals some memorable faves by the likes of POPDEFECT, RHYTHM PIGS, MINUTEMEN, MY DAD IS DEAD and many others on this episode.  Spin ’til you drop, fellow music geeks!

As part of the Rock’N’Roll Nurse’s quixotic quest to promote the current Analog Resurgence!, he features big chunks of some terrific new vinyl releases on this edition of Geek (Ema)Nation.  Hear cool new sounds by the likes of The EJECTOR SEATS, PAUL ROESSLER (of The SCREAMERS and 45 GRAVE), Turkey’s own KLEPTI KLEPTI, LIQUORBALL, and host the RNRN’s own extreme solo project RAKEHELL, all on a cool old format.  Polyvinyl Chloride rules (even if it isn’t very Green), fellow LP-addled geeks!