Because tradition is tradition, it's the Rolling Stones just this side of midnight

The best band, the best song. 'Gimme Shelter' taking us out of one year we'll always hate.

Stevie Wonder, 'nuff said

 No, 'nuff said.

'Superstition' keeps the party going.

A very sonic-sounding dinner hour today

Gorillaz bringing the heat with 'Glitter Freeze'

Johnny's really pulling out all the stops today...

Not just a White band, no no, the Average White Band you lucky bastards.

'Pick Up the Pieces' funking out in a way only the 1970's can.

Let's try a New Year's Eve throwback!

The Chiffons and 'He's So Fine'

Some New Year's Eve gold with Gloria Jones

Oh you know the song. You just don't know Gloria Jones did it first back in 1964. 'Tainted love' keeping the good going this morning.

Know who we'll just bet loves New Year's Eve? Bon Jovi

Whether you're ordering up a pork roll or Taylor ham sandwich, it's always a good time for New Jersey's own Bon Jovi, here with the anthemic, 'It's My Life'

If it's New Year's Eve the Oscoda City Desk is on the air rocking!

Fuck 2020. It's gotta go and go now. 

We'll help sweep it all away with an all-day music fest, starting now with the Pet Shop Boys and 'Opportunities'

Late night open thread

Threat of some ice Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, charge up those phones!

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

The new dispensary coming in East Tawas will be MEDICAL only

At least for now. High Society (not the porn mag) Dispensary is opening new outlets in Michigan with East Tawas being one. According to the High Society website, this new location will offer the weed to those holding medical cards only.

Not sure if this is the smart way to go with Botanical & Co. across the street and High Level Health just down the way offering recreational sales. Add to this the fact that Northern Roots in AuSable Township is close to being allowed to sell recreationally, perhaps as soon as January and one wonders how High Society will do if they stay medical marijuana sales only.

(From High Society's website)

Late night open thread

Tell us, did you get what you wanted for Christmas? Let us know all about it in comments.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JON WAITE!

Why not end the last Music Series of 2020 with our first ever 80's-themed night. Never been done 'round these parts because people do have their favorites from this decade. Johnny is not trying to say these are the best three songs from the 1980's. Just three songs he loves and thinks represent that era.

1982 checks in first with Jon Waite and 'Change'

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN!

Here's why a theme night on a topic people have strong opinions on is dangerous. Johnny ADORES (capitalized, bolded and italic'd there folks) this track by Echo and the Bunnymen, 'The Killing Moon'. Some might complain that this isn't even their favorite Echo and the Bunnymen song. To those good people Johnny would say, get your own blog. 

Hellz yes it's in his top 3 of that bygone era. Johnny's best friend Paco agrees soooooooo there you go.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS!

They've done the best band in rock and roll history. Many times. It's always the same top two. They've done the best female artist in rock and roll. It's always Aretha Franklin. They've done the top song in rock and roll history. This one does move around somewhat.

Here's one that hasn't been tried, top haircuts in rock and roll. 

A Flock of Seagulls, a #1 seed in that competition closing up shop tonight with 'Wishing (If I Had A Photograph of You), the long version, of course.

Late night open thread

We hope everyone out there had a very Merry Christmas. Johnny had never seen the movie A Christmas Story somehow but watched it tonight with his girlfriend. Great fun. 

We'll scare up the last Music Series of the year tomorrow evening. Remember, next Friday we'll be coming off our all-day New Year's Eve music-a-thon which will be all day Thursday.

Let's go Browns, let's make those playoffs this weekend!

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Merry Christmas to all our readers!

Johnny and the crew would like to wish everyone in the Oscoda City Desk viewing area a very Merry Christmas and hope everyone is staying safe out there. Johnny is missing dinner with hi father-in-law this year because of Covid but if everyone does this right, it'll only be one year away.

Late night open thread

Gotta put the blog to bed early. Don't want to be up when Santa Claus comes.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

On Christmas Eve there is only one video to play

The great author and humorist David Sedaris and his now-classic Christmas story, '6 to 8 Black Men' which will have you rolling.

Late night open thread

As Johnny posted on Twitter, the MHSAA football playoffs are back on! Practice can begin Monday for our Oscoda Owls who are still scheduled to play Traverse City St. Francis but the game will be January 2nd. Who knows what to expect at this point. Weather can get pretty dicey this time of year this far north.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE COMMODORES!

One thing Johnny really misses about the late Mrs. Johnny is the way she's just go off on a riff imagining the discussion as Brenda Richie walked in on Lionel Richie cheating on her and commencing to kick his ass. She could make Johnny laugh so hard.

Well, here we are tonight, the Commodores featuring one Lionel Richie and Johnny is again laughing hearing Mrs. Johnny in his ear as the Music Series kicks off with 'Brick House'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE!

First off, listen fast, Johnny rarely posts Jimi Hendrix because his music has a way of vanishing rather quickly on YouTube. 

Johnny would pose that the beginning of this song is among the ten best beginnings of any song of the rock and roll era. Feel free to drop off some of your choices in comments. The Bob Dylan written, 'All Along the Watchtower' up next on the Music Series tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE RONETTES!

Of course there is only one Ronnie Spector with that oh so unique voice and warble. Nobody can sing like her.

But you're about to try, aren't you? 'Be My Baby' taking us out tonight.

Late night open thread

The projected amounts of snow have slowly fallen into the now 3-6" range down from the 6-10" predictions of earlier this week. Looks like a cold wet Saturday.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with OHIO PLAYERS!

Johnny can't begin to tell you the look he got bringing this album home. Parents were more interested in the album artwork than the music they weren't going to understand and were predisposed to dislike anyway. Honestly for Johnny it was all about the music and liner notes. Ohio Players starting us off tonight with 'Love Rollercoaster'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARSHALL CRENSHAW!

Detroit's own Marshall Crenshaw who actually got noticed playing the role of John Lennon in Beatlemania. No Beatles 'round here tonight, but 'Someday, Someway' sure is.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ENGLISH BEAT!

We're running with the original video on this but whenever Johnny hears this song he thinks of the great fight John Cusack and Benny Urquidez in Grosse Pointe Blank. If that scene looks very real and well choreographed it's because Cusack and Urquidez had sparred many hours in a kick-boxing discipline outside of the movie. Pretty cool stuff. 'Mirror in the Bathroom' taking us out tonight.

Late night open thread

Let's go MSU tomorrow! Who can forget the famous 1974 game? Michigan State vs #1 OSU. The end of that game was the first time instant replay was used, even though the Big Ten said it wasn't. Here we see MSU's Levi Jackson set sail on an 88 yard TD run midway through the 4th quarter putting Sparty up 16-13, the final score that day.

Rumor has it that Woody Hayes was SOOOO mad about losing this game he turned in Denny Stoltz, the MSU head coach, for recruiting violations. What a snowflake.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PATTY GRIFFIN!

If you're Johnny, you're got a whole catalog of an artist he adores to choose from as while you may have been quite familiar with Patty Griffin's music at the Jersey City Desk, she's making her Oscoda City Desk Music Series debut tonight. Let's kick things off with the brilliant 'One Big Love'

Did you know that in the movie of Johnny's life, in the sad final scene on his deathbed, Patty Griffin plays songs in the corner. It's a fact!

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NINA SIMONE!

'Sinnerman' is the name of the track and this is the "Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix" as it came into Johnny's iTunes. We'll trust the name and credit. 

You really don't get many mix tracks better than this one. 

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with YES!

For whatever reason this song was an earworm for Johnny this week so it wasn't a hard call to take the Music Series out to it tonight. Every once in a while all week Johnny would just find him humming and or singing this one. It's all about the timing sometimes.

Yes with 'Changes' batting third tonight.

Late night open thread

Johnny arrived here exactly two years ago today, December 1st. He's pretty certain he made the exact right call in moving here.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark