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January 2, 2001

Hello Carl -

I about fell outta my chair when I was thumbing thru your play list from July 2000 and noticed you played The David Hasslehoff 5's "Bad Hair Day".

How did you get your hands on a copy of that 7" out of curiosity? The David Hasslehoff 5 is a band I played in with two of my good friends in College and only 200 records were ever pressed, half of which are probably still sitting in Jason's closet molding...

Thanks for the spin…

Rob Tyler


December 30, 2000

Do you keep copies or sell copies of particular play lists? How do you get the songs? How would I get the songs? Do your listeners rate the songs and if so, do you keep track of the ratings???

I am curious, as I found an exboyfriend on one of your lists and frankly, he really wrote some very lame songs in the past. I was amazed to see he got air play any where. (I like the guy, just had no respect for his material. I made it a point when working as a freelance writer for a music rag to never critique his stuff out of my respect for him as a person)

Thanks!
C—


December 22, 2000

Hi Ratso,

I know what you saying brother. I am from NY and work in the people biz. I understand where your coming from. But Carl You and Me are a pair of party animals that have rocked hard and partied even harder. But the old body just won't take that much fun anymore. But Carl I have been to hell and have danced with the devil. I would not have made it back To Rock and party some more if it were not for an intelligent positive force out there. I could tell you I know it is out there. My hair stands on end when I think of what I have seen with me own eyes. Now you are still here rocking and partying for a reason. We both are. Find that reason and you will never stop partying or rocking. You Have an important message to get out there. This season is about peace and love and partying as a big family. Not about $$$ and the stress and material crap that so many a blinded by. Never give up and never surrender.

Merry Christmas and keep Rocking,
Your friend, Serge


November 30, 2000

Hi

I just found your cheat sheets -- they're great! I do an occasional radio show here on KFAI, the community radio station in Minneapolis, and my shows are almost always built around a theme. The most recent one was called "Electric Comic Book." The playlist for that show is at the bottom of this email.

I'm also the webmaster for another KFAI show, Friday Night Poker Party. Their shows always have a theme, and each week the playlist is posted on the FNPP website at www6.50megs.com/fnpp/ballroom/lobby.htm. You might want to check it out.

Julian West


October 31, 2000

Dear Mr. Russo,

You have an awesome collection which appeals to my love of unusual themes and soundtracks. You may be the only person who won't think I'm nuts for wanting to find a piece of music I fell in love with as a child. I am looking for the theme music to a 1960's program hosted by Walter Cronkite that was entitled (I think) "Towards the 21st Century". It was a weekly program that explored the "world of tomorrow". I haven't seen it for many years but remember that I loved the theme music. Assuming you don't have it either, can you share any techniques for finding it? I tried contacting CBS and gave up after hopeless inquiries.

I would also like to here your selection from Viva Max! which I can't find a decent copy of - especially Hirt's blaring trumpet. Do you every replay your programs? I don't want to pester you. Anything you can do would be appreciated.

Best regards,
Andrew K.


October 23, 2000

Hi Carl!

I was doing a search on the web about my father, and see that his record "Big Bruce" was played not too long ago.

I'm his eldest daughter, and he passed away 2 years ago. Could you please let me know the next time you plan on playing his record so I can tune in?

Thanks,
Cindy S.


October 8, 2000

Your name is REAL familiar, but for the life of me I can't place why. I think it's just because another piece of email I got today mentioned a Tadd Russo.

Here I was, searching for info about Emily XYZ and stumbling across your page... DJ Cheat Sheet #4. "Nice idea," I'm thinking in my head... I've DJ'd before and searched for songs on a common theme. I have my obsessions... we all do... and wouldn't you know what one of them happens to be?

Pants. I collect samples with the word "pants" in them. My DJ monicker is DJ Pantshead. So natch, the DJ Cheat Sheet with songs about pants caught my eye. How could it not? It was just all the stranger to have something else catch my eye... that picture on your page of...

...ME! I'M THE GUY IN THE GIANT PANTS! ME! ME!

Like I say, the web is a funny, funny place.

That's my giant pants outfit, and I think the picture you have is probably me at Burning Man 1999. I sometimes where it for DJing or performing. At any rate -- too damned funny that you should find that and include it in the page.

Looks like I'll just be missing you in Europe; I'm going October 18th for 2.5 or 3 weeks myself to do a few shows and so on... ahhh well. Just thought I'd drop you a line after seeing your pages... too damned funny. And do we know each other somehow that I'm not remembering? Do tell... cheers!

Mark G.


September 3, 2000

Re: "Why Did I Choose You?" by the Allen Tew Chorus, on Pye Records, Album NSPL 41044

Do you have the above-referenced song in your music library or archives? My uncle, who was widowed recently, is not a man to ask anyone for anything, yet he has repeatedly asked me to go to any lengths necessary to find an easy listening radio station that has this song and is willing to record it on audiotape for him. It was "their song" (my aunt’s and uncle’s), and versions recorded by other artists just don’t heal his heart.

I would very much appreciate your contacting me to let me know whether you have this song and would be so kind as to record it for him. Kindly let me know, in advance, what fee, if any, you will charge or, if you don’t have this song, how I might be able to obtain a copy of it.

Thank you very much for all of your courtesies and assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,
Maria M.


August 29, 2000

Hi,

Sorry to bother you but I found your web site while looking for a copy of the film Dusty and Sweets McGee. My daughter-in-law's father co-stars as Little Boy in the film, and as she has never seen it, I'm looking to purchase a copy of it for her for Christmas.

If you've managed to track down a copy, would you be so kind as to let me know the source? Also, should I find a source for the film, I'll be happy to let you know.

Thanks,
Melody


July 24, 2000

Songs about Beer

This is the most significant accomplishment of this millennium.

Cheers! (urp)
Don J.


July 20, 2000

Thanks for including "Moanin' Parade" on your April 4, Playlist. Gatmo Studio has just now released Vol. 2, "Storm Warnings", which also includes Waits, etc. Check out the website at:

www.gatmo.net


June 28, 2000

Hey Ratso,

Was listening to your show the other day and just had to drop you a line because I totally agree with you about Chicken Run. My girlfriend and I thought it was a totally fun romp. Sorry, I don't have an opinion about Me, Myself and Irene because I pretty much refuse to give any cash to Jim Carrey. Ha-ha!

I also thought I'd plug my web show to you. I think you'll enjoy it. It's about a guy who's been sent into space to find new Starbucks locations. No, I'm no Dot-Commie. I was born and raised here and I absolutely hate what's happening. So in some ways with my show I'm turning their own tools back against them and also trying to bring a few other things to light. I'm currently writing the second season and am addressing the San Francisco take-over by 'The Predictables'. Because that's what they are, predictable sheep who know nothing of giving back to the culture they are raping. UG! Well it's all in a soup of silly potty humor. You can check it out at www.wildbrain.com. The show's name is Space Is Dum. I write, direct, design and also do the music for the show. I'm a one man army, what can I say? Check out episodes 7 and 8 for some good issue stuff and then 2,6 and 7 for good old fashioned hijinx.

Enough chatter, check it out, I hope you dig it cause I've been digging your show for years. I am so glad you're back on the air again!

Rock!

Jim Matison

P.S. Be on the lookout for a CD there I just sent over. It's called Jimmy Courage, it's my alter ego.


June 27, 2000

Ghost and Mr. Chickem

One of the things that fascinated me about the movie was the soundtrack. Being the arranger of a swing band, I thought that the theme would be fun to work with. Besides, I really do like the movie. It is very, very funny and I think Don Knotts was underrated as an actor.

K.B.


June 3, 2000

Hi!

At first, my story: a lost friend gave me a tape a few years ago with a wonderful track that I think was called "Teenage Rebellion" (I lost the tape too).

It had someone talking over a kind of jazz music, about a girl who is a prostitute, but her parents do no know it, ...

After a quite painful search on the web, I found some information tending to show it could be the soundtrack of a documentary, and then I found your page, and your email address.

If you think that the "Teenage Rebellion" entry on www.ratso.net/gmslist.html refers to what I am looking for, could you please give me any information allowing me to find that record?

Thanks a lot

Henri (who is sorry for the quality of his English)


May 24, 2000

URGENT REQUEST

On your Groovy Movie playlist you said you play tracks from the Electra Glide in Blue soundtrack. I need a huge favor if you could comply. I have a funeral in a week it's been a special request that I find the song from that soundtrack 'Tell Me' by Terry Kath. They would like it played at the service along with a few other's I'm trying to dig up. If you could get me a cassette or an MP3 to burn to CD of 'Tell Me' it would mean worlds to me.

Any help is appreciated.

Jake D., Omaha Nebraska.


May 3, 2000

Hey Ratso-

I wanted to tell you that I TOTALLY enjoyed all the surprises your show had to offer me the other day. There's some great music and other interesting tid-bits kusf always treats me to (& tickets to shows!)- I just had to let you know that i liked your show - cuz unexpected radio makes me happy! THANK YOU!

Rani


March 28, 2000

Hey Ratso.

I'm taking a class where I've got to develop an idea and do interviews for a potential documentary film. I want to do something on weird vinyl collecting/60s and 70s soundtrack music and kitsch. I might actually end up doing a lo-fi version on color super 8, which would be kinda fitting, just because of the subject matter (although I'm really choosing it b/c I have no money and I've never shot on 16mm anyway). As host of my favorite radio show of all time (GMS), and since you have quite the collection of obscure shite, I wanted to ask you if you'd be interested being my panel of experts, and doing a taped interview/discussion. Your show got me started collecting vinyl, and you introduced me to a lot of kickass music that I wouldn't have heard otherwise. The show I have now (Dead Melodies) wouldn't exist without GMS. I would play all the indie stuff I already play, but there'd be no crazy 60s stuff. Granted, there isn't even that much now, but that's only because I don't have a lot of records to choose from, and it would get really old if I spun something from Once Upon A Time In The West every week (well, not for me it wouldn't, but for the listeners). Anyway, I'd want to talk about the music you play, sources, how you got into collecting, what the appeal is for you (and in general), and maybe even get into the semi-recent revival of kitschy music through mimicking styles and sampling, etc. Good examples being Portishead, DJ Shadow, Dust Bros./Beck, Stereolab, Sukia, Cornelius, The Cinematic Orchestra. Bad examples being ear-bleedingly sucky artists like Fatboy Slim, Dimitri From Paris (well, they aren't terrible, but they're entirely harmless), that guy who redid Mambo No. 5…

But really it wouldn't be anything formal, just a conversation that I could come up with images to go with. I guess it'd be over the phone since I'm in LA now, or maybe in person if I can convince my friend Jed that he has to drive to San Francisco for the weekend sometime. Tell me what you think/if it sounds like something you'd be interested in?

Thanks a lot,
Dave

P.S. If you can't/don't want to do it, can you recommend someone else?


February 23, 2000

Hello there…

My name is Richie F—. I was also looking for any trace of Dusty and Sweets McGee because my father is in the film......The only information I have is that it played in the City at the Roxie in 1996. If you ever get any info please e-mail me.....thanks richie f—
sf,ca


February 7, 2000

Hi Carl

some hours ago I wrote you, how I was positive treated (not "threated" like I misspell before) by RCC-service gal DIANE (maybe a nice ass hostess ;-) and today I buy a magazin, you maybe know "Der Spiegel" Germans best & most serious & reputated investigative-jour. magazin (sure, the conservative forces here deform them by telling they are very left - but in fact - it was THE SPIEGEL since 1948 that kick' butt's everytime when corruption, missmanagement, politician crimes, and in general all what the top 20.000's try to hide from the public eye, start to be dangerous for this democrazy. <-- playing word games is my favour. They wrote about the "customer service in the USA" and they gave many examples that the hole entire story about American way to treat the customers was like a ferictale out of the past. concrete: The european tourists are very suprised when they shopp around in great markets and suddenly a nice person offered to help them with the bags. (carrying them to customers car) Then the tourist come home and spread the story like "wow, in America the customer is king, not like here". Actually I wrote exact in that way. (I was never in the States, but hear & read a lot about all what I got & makes me interested in).

So my question is.
How do you censor the entire situation (Frisco and more....). Is it truth (like Spiegel wrote) that the service in reallity is very bad, and that all the "good" things were back in the past. Today a customer can expect to meet a human version of Mrs.Piggy when , for example, they want to rent a car. The service-person is slow, incorrect, bad informed, lazy, stupid and without any passion for the job. They even don't speed up if a long que waits for service. Hooooppp, never thaught about that's the truth - and to be honest, I can't believe that actually. Well I can give exact info's what they wrote about, but I have had to translate it, and I'm sure you know what's going on....so if you don't mind....wrote some sentence's about that. (for your info, one of my American hero's name is NEIL POSTMAN) "m....mm....music....is my life.... hhee.... heehehe................... wwaa...what's aaa...aa..about my request ?" Sentence out of one of my loved movies - Texas Chainsaw Massacre Would you like to publish a story of mine (on your site) or do you think it would be too macabre ? (Of cause, you have to help me with the grammar) I will not be angry if you refuse it !!! hihihhihihihii - just in opposit - I would support that....ahahahhahahah in meantime you might go to that www.links.net

JUMPER:
and about your last short mail..... yes...you stepped in bees nest..with your passion for WEIRD. and I write also all kind of stuff (but don't like to be published) now I decide it to change that if you like to offer a forum. well you wrote about LUNATIC. that might be truth, you wrote a lot about your person...so this time I will answer it in short form. Was born in Croatia (then they called it Yugoslavia).

Father was a sympatic, educated and well respected man in town. Everyone liked him, he was a technician in high position, have his own radio-station for military. He takes me to the workplace and I was like in heaven, all the buttons and all the LED's provoke my little dirty fingers to prove what would happen if I change button's position (My father was not very happy about that action). Well, the years goes by and, who know's why, father start to be a alc-addict, with all the positive sides when a human start to give up controll and let flow free any agression against weaker family members. So my mother was beaten & I was protected by her in the way that she put me on the street's to play outdoor all the time he's at home.

That implied some good & straight lessons about street life. Well, normally I was very shy and my way to avoid dangerous situation's was to go to library and take some books & comics like Robinson Cruose, The Tresure Island, Gullivers Travels etc. (It was the period from 5-9y.) Also I liked to play cruel games with street-friends, like child'o-gang-war, put fire on some kiosk's, pull the emergency brakes in Trams etc. But all in all I never go too deep in primitive behaviour. Time changes and I start to read about forensic cases, and hi-tech stuff. The neighbour was a professor of economics & psychology and he & his entire family tried to help me not to become a deliquent. (Well they sucsee'd, as I know now)

I lived in a confused world of violence & unsecurity - Carl, with your 36years, you will be right able to understand how that kind of situation will take progress in little boy's mind. My entire world change to a world of illusion & like Freud would say (fear or fight). I was the kind of fearing anything what was male & adult.



CONTACT: Carl "Ratso" Russo, P.O. Box 170645, San Francisco, CA 94117, or e-mail me.


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