MYSTERY TRAIN (Amherst) main man JOSHUA BURKETT is totally willing to sell you some great records. Via his shop, and his label (MYSTRA), and his performances – both solo and group (TARP, FROZEN CORN, VERMONSTER, under his own name, etc.) – Burkett serves as a serious pillar of the free minded music and art making experience known as western Massachusetts. Pay him a visit over in Amherst amd learn something why don’t ya? – Dan Shea

Top Ten Shows (I mostly set up/played all of these…)
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Ultra Eczema Fest in Brooklyn(w/noise nomads, kuupuu, miaux, grey skull & more)
Suzuki Junzo/Hurricanes of Love/Dire Wolves at Life Changing Ministries, Oakland
Northern Routes Fest in New Salem, Ma(w/Peter Stampfel, Bunwinkies, Glenn Jones, Antony P & more)
Ralph White/Mal Devisa/Colby Nathan/Chris Carlton, etc at Brickhouse, TF
Margaret Garrett/Norm B/Police Kittens/Arkm Foam/Jack Wright/Wantastiquet/Frank H/Adolf Dove in Amherst
Bizarre Kath Bloom fest in Ct
Antti Tolvi in Eastampton & Boston
Dredd/Ed & Corsano/Orcutt in Peterborough, NH
Western Mass Invades Ct show
Michael Chapman/Dredd Foole in Northampton

‘Stuff Around The Turntable’
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New Native North America Compilation
Tracey Trance -‘Paper Kub’ LP
Wizz Jones (always…)
Hurricanes Of Love – Quintorian Blues LP
Cecil Lytle – Complete Piano Music of Gurdjieff/Hartman
Norm B- Deviations From The Norm
Orbital
Dezurik Sisters – Yodel & Sing
Alexis Zoumbas- Lament For Epirus LP reissue
Plus tons of old timey LPs…

My Ten Favorite Thomas Hardy Books
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Far From the Maddening Crowd
Two On A Tower
Return Of The Native
Selected Poems
Well Beloved
Jude the Obscure
Woodlanders
Tess d’urbervilles
Pair Of Blue Eyes
Mayor Of Casterbridge