The thread for News on January 27th in 1996 seemed to have a lot to do with standoffs and face-downs. Starting with news that chemical heir John DuPont shot and killed Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz and had barricaded himself in the bedroom of the mansion on his 600 acre estate outside Philadelphia and was forcing a standoff with Police had people wondering about the lethal combination of wealth and mental illness.

A standoff of another kind was averted. This one on Capitol Hill where a Stop-Gap Spending Bill was given an eleventh hour approval and instant signing by President Clinton, thus averting a third threatened government shutdown. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich wasn't happy, saying it was all media's fault that he didn't get his way and was promising fireworks when the issue would be creeping up again after March 15th.

Another kind of stand-off/face-down went on with the Whitewater Probe. The Grand Jury had finished hearing testimony of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and there were hints this thing was going to get political, with the ever-present Ken Starr in charge of the probe hinting at further questioning of Clinton in the near future.

And the OJ Simpson Civil Suit trial was put on hold as his Grand Jury Deposition seemed to drag on forever.

But everyone was looking forward to Super Bowl XXX which was scheduled to get going the next day.

When in doubt, throw a football.

And so went this particular day in Paradise, for January 27, 1996 as reported on The CBS World News Roundup.

Jumping back into our Ska Revival this week with another of the Two-Tone Immortals, Madness.

You probably could have labeled this band Ska-lite, as they shied away from the heavier social/racial aspects of the Reggae/Ska movement in favor of more upbeat off-the-wall humor with their songs and performances.

Still, a great band who won enormous popularity over here as well as the rest of the world in the late 1970's through early 80's.

Tonight it's a session they recorded at The BBC for The John Peel Program(me) on August 14, 1979.

Here's what they do:

1. The Prince
2. Bed & Breakfast Man
3. Stepping Into Line

In answer to your requests. BTW - working on some live Bad Manners for tomorrow, but may have to just rely on an lp instead.

Stay tuned.

I suppose he's a bit conspicuous by his absence, but you don't really hear very much about Ross Perot lately. The guy who, in 1992 and 1996 was going to "shake things up". The guy who ran a somewhat haywire campaign and suddenly dropped out in 1996 and the guy who, as irony would have it, was a big supporter of Mitt Romney during his 2008 Presidential bid.

But he's been out of the picture the last four years. Or maybe he's bubbling under it. Still early I suppose. But you have to wonder . . .

In any event, in case you missed him the first (or second) time around, here is an address and Q&A session he did at The National Press Club, recorded on October 20, 1996.

As was the case with most every report during the World War 2 years, news on battles, campaigns and the War Effort took predominance in radio newscasts of the time.

This day in January in 1944 the news was about the Italian campaign and the slow, mud-ridden push towards Rome. The main source of concern was in the Monte Casino area, where German troops were securely entrenched around the historic Monastery and the fighting was relentless.

Other news was on the diplomatic front. First came a report that The Soviet Union was refusing the recognize the Polish government in exile, based on reports that the exiled government was perpetuating Nazi propaganda that Soviet troops had committed atrocities against Polish civilians in 1940. An investigation and press confirmation revealed the atrocities were committed instead by German troops and the alleged massacre took place a year later in 1941. The Polish government in exile refused to back down and the freeze continued.

Also came news that the government of Argentina decided to join the allies and sever diplomatic ties to Germany.

And news on the home front was less than flattering with reports of an investigation on the Black Market and War Profiteering going on throughout the country revealed the practice was widespread and all but out in the open, with meat and stockings being the biggest sellers. Gotta look good at any price, I suppose.

And that's how it all went down, this January 26, 1944 via NBC News.

Punk/Post-Punk/Experimental icons Wire tonight. From a series of sessions they recorded at The BBC for the John Peel Program on January 18, 1978.

One of the truly inventive and atmospheric bands to come out of the 70's, they've continued and have lost none of their edge.

Tonight it's looking back on the early days and here's what's on the player:

1. Practice Makes Perfect
2. I Am The Fly
3. Culture Vultures.
4. 106 Beats That

I have a hard time imagining this was recorded 34 years ago.

Some meat-and-potatoes this week from Madrid. The Orquesta Nacional de Espana conducted by the great Rafael Fruhbech de Burgos and featuring piano icon Emanuel Ax in a program of Beethoven and Berlioz, recorded live in concert by Radio Nacional Espana on January 22, 2012.

Here's the rundown:

Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España
Transmisión directa desde el Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid.

BEETHOVEN: Concierto para piano y orquesta nº 5 en Mi bemol mayor, Op. 73 “Emperador”.

BERLIOZ: Sinfonía fantástica, Op. 14.

Emanuel. Ax (p.), Orq. Nacional de España. Dir.: R. Frühbeck de Burgos.

The Beethoven is on the top player and the Berlioz is on the bottom player.

Happy Anti-Road Rage Wednesday!

News on this day in January 1957 had to do with the continuing Suez Canal crisis. Here, by way of the CBS Radio program Update: The Suez Canal from January 25th, is a primer on the crisis with background on the conflict going back July 1956, when the first ripples of the dispute were felt.

As of January 1957, Prime Minister Anthony Eden handed in his resignation and the United Nations had established a cease-fire and set up a peacekeeping mission, and as of January 25th establishment of U.S. Intervention in the Suez Canal.

Fascinating stuff. And if you aren't familiar with this aspect of the Middle East conflict and the emergence of Arab Nationalism throughout the region, it's almost essential listening.

What you might have been listening to on this day if you were around in 1957.

Somebody asked about The (English) Beat last night when I ran The Specials. Just so happens, I have this little session the band did on November 5, 1979 for the John Peel Show at The BBC.

Here's what's happening:

1. Tears of A Clown
2. Ranking Full Stop
3. Click-Click
4. Mirror In The Bathroom
5. Big Shot

Another blast of high-energy from the 70's tonight.

Turn it up.

News for this day in 1958 came by way of a daily newscast called The United Nations Today. It gave a rundown on the current state of World Affairs and how the UN was playing a role in all of it.

On January 24th Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold held a Press conference where he expressed optimism in renewed Nuclear Disarmament talks and expressed hope that some of the countries not now in favor (like West Germany) would soon fall into line. The Soviet Union showed no particular movement one way or the other, but did say the Nuclear option should be held out for the Middle East. Oh well. . .

Speaking of the Middle East, optimism was again the buzz-word as reports noted a certain stability had taken shape in the otherwise war-torn region, with the aftermath of the Suez Crisis still on everyone's mind.

A report from The World Health Organization indicated Aid and Vaccine were heading off to the Cyclone devastated country of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).

And the White House disclosed that UN Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge was to leave on the 28th of January for a month long tour of Iran, Afghanistan and India in an effort to fact-find the current state of that region.

All rather optimistic on this day in the world. Even though the spectre of Nuclear Annihilation hung over everyone's heads. The Cold War '50's.

Since I ran some Selecter sessions a few days ago, I thought I would also include that other landmark band from the Two-Tone arsenal, The Specials. This batch of sessions from the BBC were recorded on May 29, 1979 and feature the band hitting their stride. They had already made a huge splash in the UK and were getting a wave of popularity going in the States, through a number of tours and club dates (including a rather memorable stint at The Whiskey A-go-go in Hollywood).

Here are three of their trademark songs from that period:

1. Gangsters
2. Too Much, Too Young
3. Concrete Jungle
4. Monkey Man

They recently (as of 2009) reformed and have been touring and recording.

Just goes to show you, you can't keep a good thing down.

Enjoy, and . . .play loud (obviously).