Bodily Functions - March 31

Inspired by the various quirks and stories relating to the body and how it functions, this week show ended up being understandably pretty crude but also a lot of fun. Continuing in the tradition of using New Directions as a soapbox from which to talk about creative ideas in all the ways they manifest themselves out of our weird minds and through the microphone into your ears.

I was joined this week by Sarah Good, last week's guest Ceda Torma who asked to be invited back (probably cause Sarah and I are such wonderful company) and Dr. Sean Gadoury. We all learned a little something about each other in the process of relating some of our own personal body-related stories, and urged anyone to call in and tell us about their own bodily quirks or stories.

 It was kind of tough to avoid talking about sex and other crude aspects of the body/bodily functions. So to reign it in a bit, the discussion was momentarily redirected towards talking about Sartre's Nausea, which as well as any existentialist novel illustrates the sort of mental feeling of disconnection from our bodies that many people experience in their everyday lives. That feeling of being on auto-pilot and maybe not really being in your body in the moment. I argued that this kind of existential anxiety is perhaps what leads some to go to extremes with their bodies, either through reckless and dangerous thrill seeking that gets your adrenaline pumping or various kinds of pain and pleasure. Basically, a way to shock yourself back into your body. We touched on how this kind of relates to the creative process because making art/creating is our of the many ways that some people vent, and in the novel it is through a jazz recording that the hero is able to overcome the sensation and cope with existence. Definitely a book worth reading, especially the New Directions Publishing edition with the introduction by Hayden Carruth.


Finding music to fit the theme was a bit tougher than expected.  But I think we did okay thanks to some combined efforts.

Tracklistings:
Connie Francis - I Will Wait for You
Magik Markers - Body Rot (off of Boss)
Sonic Youth - Is It My Body? (off of Destroyed Room)
Charles Spearin - Vanessa (from the Happiness Project LP)
The Kinks - Funny Face (from Something Else)
Lamps - I Need a Chick (Devo Cover off of Songs of Sexual Frustration EP)

DOWNLOADS:

This week's show can be downloaded from CFMU's website by clicking on New Directions on the program guide page or from Rapidshare by clicking here.