The Best of LCD: The Art and Writing of WFMU

by Dave the Spazz

Named the best radio station in America by Rolling Stone magazine four years running, WFMU is considered the alternative radio station. LCD (Lowest Common Denominator), the station's program guide—begun in 1986 as a visual counterpart to WFMU’s oddball programming—was a wicked cocktail of satire, cultural news, alternative history, and provocative artwork that has earned its own devoted cult followers. It ceased publication in 1998 and its back issues have become treasured—and valuable—collector’s items. Dave the Spazz has spent the past twenty years hosting a weekly radio show on WFMU, self-publishing, freelance writing, making artwork, singing in punk-rock bands, and holding down one crummy job after another.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Art, Essays

Paperback

First published October 4, 2007

Reviews

[Ichor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compendium is just oozing with music history nuggets and arcane radio trivia. I love it!

To those who bemoan modern pop for bringing about the demise of all things good in the world read the interview with Joey Levine, a song writer prominent in major 1960s hit factories churning out inoffensive hit after inoffensive hit on an almost weekly basis in your "golden era".

To those who would like a transcribed oral history of the infamous late 50's disc jockeys who delivered their airchecks with the force of a howitzer between joints by Red Prysock and indies who were payola'd to the top read Dick Blackburn's seven-page account.

To those who are interested in the cultural history of the performing chimp, please read Dave the Spazz's profile of Kokomo Jr., TV's go-to ape from the 50s-80s (or perhaps you prefer Ken Freedman's well-researched "Brief History of Disembodied Dog Heads"?)

And that's just a selection from the last 40 pages. The book's a thick slab with all 238 (A4!!) pages bristled with stories, biographies and illustrations cutting deep into radio history.

If you dig it you can cop it straight from the WFMU store with all proceeds supporting the world’s local free-form radio station.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having lived in NJ for a while, I learned that the one thing that NYC didn't have in abundance was a cool ass radio station (much to my surprise). Sure, it had cool book/music/clothing stores in SPADES, but this one lacking characteristic REALLY stymied me.

Then, as I was making my drive to Brooklyn one night for a completely glamourless theatre gig, I scanned the dial and found WMFU. I heard bands like MOLDY PEACHES and EX-MODELS thanks to this freeform, Jersey City station and my life has changed for the better. I even tuned in during most of Glen Jones' 100 hour Guinness World Record-breaking, non-stop broadcast. Insane shit.

This book incorporates some of the writing and artwork that went into their program guides over the years. Fun reading and artwork from the NY fringes that have since turned into household names.

If you're into killer music and fringe radio, this book is highly recommended. Plus, if you've never heard of WFMU, it might get you listening to their web broadcasts.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are some great things I got turned onto because of this book: the drawings of steven cerio (especially the capt. beefheart one); great rodd keith article re: his detachment and nonchalance in the face of potential homelessness; the Jives of dr. hepcat, which, although out of print are easy to find online; the vision of tom bomb after seeing white puff of smoke escape from fried chicken leg and especially this old ad for falstaff beer: if you can’t drink it, freeze it and eat it. open up a rib and pour it in.

All that said, I find it hard to believe I couldn’t call 16 friends and create a station with the creative equivalent of wfmu. Not that what they have isn’t great – it just seems like I know and have known 100 people just as creative and talented, and just as supposedly marginalized w/ equally as good and reseached aeesthetic sensibilities. wfmu gets treated like the greatest hits of all that ever was or will be in radio, but there are tons of people on smaller stations who are just as genius. And who have kooky friends who do weird, great drawings.

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice compilation of bizzare graphics and similar articles from WFMU. While I hadn't heard of this station, this felt like our local music fanzine in the midwest, the "Prairie Sun", tho less commercial and more, well, bizzare. I enjoyed the articles, mostly, on a variety of topics from keeping a dog's head alive to getting phone calls due to having your phone number in a movie. The graphics are great -- I'll keep this for reference, never know when you might need a cartoon of Helen Brach (from their playing cards of missing persons). Did I mention this is bizzare?

[Sandy]

Least Common Denominator --all artists, illustrators and graphics lovers will want to check out the amazing array of art from the program guides gathered here from new york superstation WFMU-FM 91.1--freeform, listener supported, no commercials--and there's a few interesting, eclectic articles reprinted here too. makes me long for the days that i saw more work like this adorning the commonplace

[Cassandra Carico · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't really my thing. I enjoyed paging through the shorts, but honestly it seemed that many of the cartoons were made purely to stir controversy and the essays were flawed. I do enjoy intelligent commentary, but I don't enjoy combative commentary, even if it is well researched. Discussions are great; arguments suck.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely collection of WFMU-related arcana. Way insidery. An enjoyable dusting off of 'zine culture, but feels like an adjunct to all the great RE/Search volumes I've never read.

[Emily]

my brother gave me this for christmas. thanks james